Ok, so it’s not in the same league as some other folks’ dragonfly shots, but what the heck. This 1-inch little dude kept going back to this perch, but always with the wings set lower covering the face. I kept watching and getting terrible shots, but then it lifted the wings a bit and the focus miraculously got better without the wing obscuring everything.
My ID book says these guys are sometimes found in boggy habitats. Basically the two lakes I was paddling yesterday are what I believe is a kettle bog albeit a large one. Most of the surrounding vegetation is bog-loving and there is a large “island” on the side of one of the lakes that means you have to paddle the edges - you can’t go straight through except where the island is large and solid and there is a path. Just sitting in the kayak for 1/2 to 1 hour at a time meant all kinds of details like this just came alive. Plus I found another eagle nest VERY close to the launch site so…this is going to be a favorite spot in future.
Here’s a google maps view of the lake - you can see the big island of boggy stuff on Horn Lake -
That narrow strip connecting the two lakes is a tricky paddle - lots of vegetation, rocks and logs in the way. But it’s doable which is good since it’s the only way to get to that one.
Specific Feedback Requested
2 things - First, I used Topaz Sharpen and I am not happy with how uneven noise reduction seems to be, but that might just be the way it is. I’ve tried different models and this one (Motion Blur very noisy or maybe normal) worked the best in terms of detail and nr. Any suggestions here welcome. I haven’t tried just Denoise on this, but it might be a way to go since it does sharpen as well.
Second, I did a fair amount of distraction removal using CAF and clone stamping in Photoshop. There is an remnant here I just couldn’t make better with anything I tried including CAF, clone stamp, color paint, color clone etc. I have an idea of how I might fix it, but it would mean starting over and I just don’t have the mental bandwidth just now. Does it draw the eye too much?
Technical Details
Handheld in the kayak in a very quiet backwater
Lr for some exposure and shadow lifting, quieted the saturation and highlights. A crop and then Topaz Sharpen for some detail and Photoshop to simplify the perch.
Kris, I love the perch. To me, this really makes the image. The balance it gives really makes it. The BG is nice and smooth, making the DF and the perch stand out. You have nice details where they are needed. I would be pleased to call this mine.
I haven’t bought the Topaz Sharpen, as I have heard good and bad with it. I have an old version (which I think they have done away with) of Topaz AI, and it sharpens a bit as it reduces noise, and I’ve been very happy with it.
Wow, you sure have a wonderful place to go take photos. And to be able go out in the water in a boat to photograph, what a blessing. And an eagle’s nest too! Such a blessing. I’m happy for you.
Hi Kris,
Nice critical sharpness on the head and legs - especially well done given you were in a kayak. I like the spider webs on the perch adds a good bit of interest there. Looks like you have a great area to explore and photograph. well done.
I really like the DOF you captured there. Unlike the blurring on the wings. I also enjoy you included a map. I’m a big fantasy book geek and I always love a good map at the start of a book. Never thought about having one with a photo.
The google maps shot only occurred to me after trying to explain the lake and it sounding sort of strange. But yeah, it’s a nice spot and it’s too buggy to be in the woods right now so paddling it is. The small green island near the word Horn is where the eagle nest is. You could paddle to the other island and set up or stay on shore with a very long lens.
I think this is excellent! Wonderful specimen with excellent sharpness where needed. Nice pose, great BG and fascinating perch that adds to the interest!
Is your problem area the OOF stem on the left? I think some 50% opacity cloning might work, with a soft-edged selection on the abdomen. No need to completely remove it, just soften the edges. If there is another area that bothers you, I can’t see it.
Extra points for the map! It gives me great appreciation for your aquatic bushwhacking.
Thanks @Diane_Miller - it was one of the only perches with a clear background. Bog vegetation is notoriously thick. Glad you like it since it was this guy’s favorite place to land. Funny how they get into these little habits.
The stem is the one he’s perched on. I managed to remove branches and globs of stuff stuck to the ends of them, but the joint between two branches is fixed kind of badly. The trouble is I didn’t leave enough of those other branches to sample from in order to clone stamp over my trouble spot. What is left just doesn’t have the right angle to patch it nicely. So I did what I could, varying opacities as well as source and source types like color and texture. Overall I guess it doesn’t bug anyone enough for me to fix it so I’m letting it go.
Oh – duh – the fuzzy spot. I didn’t even notice it. But a fix without a redo looks easy (famous last words…) How about moving the bottom segment to the left so the ends meet more directly and cloning from above the joint to make them meet better. Not a lot of material there to sample from, but looks do-able. (She says, from a safe distance.)
I meant to comment on uneven NR. Again, I don’t see it, but I’d suggest starting first with Topaz Denoise, and compare the various algorithms (with their default sharpening), then sharpen in a separate step if more is needed. In some images I get uneven denoising (is that a word?) with some of the algorithms and good results with a different one. It feels safest to do it first, before any cloning, but I’ve never seen any testing of that idea. There is always the possibility of using masked layers, if all else fails, but I’ve never had to resort to that. I find Topaz Sharpen too often gives artifacts.
