gentoo shingle

[Jeremy Roussak]

Thoughts?

Jeremy

[PeterAit]

Thoughts?

Jeremy

The penguin is nice, with the direct stare! But my thought is to crop it to remove the mysterious and uninteresting stuff in the distance.

[Eric Myrvaagnes]

I think I agree with Peter.
The penguin is really cute.

[francois]

I also agree with the comments above. The top of the frame (center and right) is distracting and takes the focus away from the penguin.

[Jeremy Roussak]

Interesting comments. I find that if I crop it as you suggest, there's a void at the top which lets my eye slip out of the frame.

Jeremy

[Farmer]

Cropping the top off I think works, but do it enough to get the penguin's eyes to the 1/3 level.  I think the background doesn't need to constrain the penguin in this case.

[LesPalenik]

I would put on the penguin a very gentle radial filter with just a little bit of more brightness and contrast so he would stand out against the dark pebbles.

[Jeremy Roussak]

I would put on the penguin a very gentle radial filter with just a little bit of more brightness and contrast so he would stand out against the dark pebbles.

Now that's a good idea. I don't use radial filters as much as I should. They're a valuable tool.

Jeremy

[LesPalenik]

Jeremy,

Attached is a quick adjustment (slight increase of brightness and contrast) combined with an eliptical mask around the penguin using Photoshop curves on your JPG file.
Normally, I would apply an eliptical radial filter with some feathering in LR to the raw file. You can experiment with the sliders in the radial filter to make it very subtle or somewhat bolder.

[Eric Myrvaagnes]

Now that's a good idea. I don't use radial filters as much as I should. They're a valuable tool.

Jeremy

That's another tool that I keep telling myself to explore.

Eric

[Jeremy Roussak]

I did this. Interestingly, the halo (visible in your thumbnail, Les, and much more visible in mine) doesn't show up in the full-size version in LR.

Jeremy

[Eric Myrvaagnes]

I think you nailed it, Jeremy.
Can I sign up for your next workshop on radial filters?   

Eric

[LesPalenik]

I did this. Interestingly, the halo (visible in your thumbnail, Les, and much more visible in mine) doesn't show up in the full-size version in LR.

Jeremy

Yes, Jeremy, LR is much more suitable for this type of highlighting. Sometimes, I combine both a radial filter and a few brush strokes to make a more precise mask. 

[Jeremy Roussak]

I think you nailed it, Jeremy.
Can I sign up for your next workshop on radial filters?   

No need, Eric - I'll supply my "wisdom" for free.

1. Draw a radial filter.
2. Fiddle with the settings.
3. Repeat #2 until it looks right.
4. er, that's it.

Jeremy

[francois]

I did this. Interestingly, the halo (visible in your thumbnail, Les, and much more visible in mine) doesn't show up in the full-size version in LR.

Jeremy

It's often the case. Actually, I use thumbnails to check whether grads or other localized adjustments are over the top.
The radial blur idea (for this shot) is brilliant…

[Eric Myrvaagnes]

No need, Eric - I'll supply my "wisdom" for free.

1. Draw a radial filter.
2. Fiddle with the settings.
3. Repeat #2 until it looks right.
4. er, that's it.

Jeremy

That's pretty much the procedure I use for almost everything, with other items substituting for #1.

Eric

[schertz]

No need, Eric - I'll supply my "wisdom" for free.

1. Draw a radial filter.
2. Fiddle with the settings.
3. Repeat #2 until it looks right.
4. er, that's it.

Jeremy

That's pretty much the procedure I use for almost everything, with other items substituting for #1.

Eric

You guys are giving away all the secrets... how will people sell their lightroom presets! 

P.S. nice penguin shot.