The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
One of our resident rodents heartily wishing I’d go away already. I spooked it out from under the bird feeder and up this tree. It was afternoon with some filtered sun and I liked the slight rimlight that resulted. Yeah, it’s just a squirrel, but I think the light helps make it just that little more special. Plus I don’t have any photos of the black morph we see frequently up this far north. It’s genetically part of the Gray squirrel species and can interbreed fully. Black ones make up about 1% of the population and are concentrated in the northern part of the range, especially around the Great Lakes.
This shot took a little work to get and a lot of work to produce. I cropped a bit and also used the Remove tool in Photoshop to get rid of stuff I can’t believe it did so well. Big branches and small branches. Really distracting stuff. Found it’s best to work in increments rather than trying to eliminate an object all at once. After that some smoothing and blending to further sell it.
Specific Feedback
So…was it worth all that effort or is it just a picture of a squirrel? It’s ok if it is. Does the lit up bit of whisker need to go? Eye too soft? Realized I didn’t have animal body and eye detect turned on. Doh!
Technical Details
Handheld braced on the porch roof post.
Lr for basic white balance and contrast work and a crop. Also used a radial mask to enhance the sunlight and warmth in the area coming in from the top across the wee beastie. Added some exposure, texture & sharpening w/denoise AI. Photoshop for some excisions. Back in Lr I flipped it horizontally.
Well, I for one, love it, Kris. Partly because I have never seen a black squirrel and also do love how you have caught the light so well on its tail. The lit whiskers work for me, as the tad of light helps to define them. Great shot!
I didn’t even know there are black squirrels. But I do know how hard it is to get a good shot of ordinary ones, so I think this is excellent! The colors and OOF shapes in the BG are wonderful and the way the tail melds with them is fantastic! The light on the tree is just right – not too heavy (which would have been easy). I don’t see any evidence of pruning and what is left feels just right!! No suggestions except a gold star!
Thanks @linda_mellor & @Diane_Miller - glad it rises above just a rodent snap. They are butts, but engaging and when I can catch them unawares, they give some nice behavior and poses. Definitely much more wary than cousin chipmunk which you can practically step on they’re so dense sometimes.
Pruning is just what it was! And I’m glad the whiskers don’t look too weird. I rather liked the light on them. The tail is pretty great, too. So often they’re ragged and pruned themselves by scrapes and near misses with predators.
This is great Kris. Unique look at a unique little animal. I’ve never seen a black squirrel either. Fun story, and really nice job processing this one. I love the light on the tail and the whiskers. I love the expression which I think you’ve captured and interpreted correctly.
Thanks @Ed_Williams - funny how limited the range is for the black ones. I’d never seen one before moving here and we’re not that far north of where I was. But they’re normal now, but seem more shy than the grays, but that’s probably my imagination.
This is so cool Kris, haven’t seen one of these guys since visiting the Thousand Islands area years ago. The rim lighting certainly adds to the overall look and I can just detect an annoyed look in his eye, which looks pretty sharp to me.
Thanks @Jim_Lockhart - yeah that light sure worked out. Funny, it does rather have a peeved expression. Maybe the eye softness is literally fur that I’m seeing.
