One of the Best Photos I've Ever Taken (really)

One of the Best Photos I've Ever Taken (really) · 09:46 AM

Cat(ch) Fight

The story of how that was captured on the flickr comments page.

Thanks for looking...I'm very proud of this shot!

kjfaust · 06-30-2008, 09:48 AM

oh wow!
definitely a great shot!
ill check out that flickr page when i get home tonight

Rickst · 06-30-2008, 10:00 AM

Absolutely Cool--great, great shot.

cputeq · 06-30-2008, 10:03 AM

Thanks everyone, I'm beaming still ! I showed my friend and he showed his friend and they're like "wow such a lucky shot! awesome", etc. I'm giddy!

I've submitted it to the PPG and a monthly photo contest - Fingers crossed!

little laker · 06-30-2008, 10:13 AM

That is sooo cool

I've got to ask, whom won the war

cputeq · 06-30-2008, 10:19 AM

Originally posted by little laker

That is sooo cool

I've got to ask, whom won the war

Thanks!

This fight, the snake won the fish the first time.
Yeah, they fought again.

The second time (I'm still processing shots), I'm not sure what happened. I think the egret actually either stole a fish the snake was about to get or hit the snake itself.

The snake got extremely pissed, got on a rock out of the water and looked like he was back and ready to strike the bird.

The bird just moseyed away like he wasn't scared in the least!

I think the snake went on down the stream after that.

Frank Fletcher · 06-30-2008, 12:23 PM

What a moment! Beautiful capture.

**SCGushue** · 06-30-2008, 01:14 PM

That is a very intersting capture and quite a good stroke of fortune to be witness to such an occurance. Congrats!

Stephen

dws1117 · 06-30-2008, 02:41 PM

Really awesome capture. You were very lucky to be able to whitness and photograph the event.

little laker · 06-30-2008, 03:20 PM

I don't know why no ones mentiones it yet, but I think that might be something a nature magazine would be interested in cputeq.
I'd send off a couple of teasers from the series if I was you

falconeye · 06-30-2008, 03:37 PM

This is such a great keeper, I would experiment a bit with post processing. In particular, the contrast within the shadows (read: the snake) could be better. And nobody here will tell anybody that the snake and rocks had the same color

irish_spring · 06-30-2008, 03:39 PM

Very good capture. Perfect timing! Wow!

cputeq · 06-30-2008, 04:23 PM

Originally posted by little laker

I don't know why no ones mentiones it yet, but I think that might be something a nature magazine would be interested in cputeq.
I'd send off a couple of teasers from the series if I was you

Thank you. I"m inquiring as we speak

cputeq · 06-30-2008, 04:25 PM

Originally posted by falconeye

This is such a great keeper, I would experiment a bit with post processing. In particular, the contrast within the shadows (read: the snake) could be better. And nobody here will tell anybody that the snake and rocks had the same color

Thanks !

Believe it or not I've wrestled with the PP on this thing for quite a while now.

The problem with the image is that there's a heck of a lot of dynamic range here. We go from bright white egret to dark shadows under rocks.

The original PEF is clipped on both ends. Recovery gets the egret's colors in line, but then I'm having to wrestle with bringing the blacks down without ruining contrast. Upping saturation, vibrance, clarity in lightroom helps, but getting the image "more poppy" is harder than I thought it would be. I'm really wrestling with keeping the egret from clipping.

I think I'll have to experiment with curves some more to see if I can fine-tune the exposure here.

little laker · 06-30-2008, 04:33 PM

If it's taken with a K10D or older camera feel free to e-mail the PEF to me, and I'll see if I can do any better.
I tried working with your JPG there, and couldn't gain any improvement with it

For the most art I'm impressed with the processing that you have done.

cputeq
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06-30-2008, 09:48 AM	#2
kjfaust Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: maryland Posts: 104	oh wow! definitely a great shot! ill check out that flickr page when i get home tonight

06-30-2008, 10:00 AM	#3
Rickst Forum Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Minnesota Photos: Gallery Posts: 85	Absolutely Cool--great, great shot.

06-30-2008, 10:03 AM	#4
cputeq Inactive Account Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 464 Original Poster	Thanks everyone, I'm beaming still ! I showed my friend and he showed his friend and they're like "wow such a lucky shot! awesome", etc. I'm giddy! I've submitted it to the PPG and a monthly photo contest - Fingers crossed!

06-30-2008, 10:13 AM	#5
little laker Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Photos: Gallery Posts: 5,697	That is sooo cool I've got to ask, whom won the war

06-30-2008, 10:19 AM	#6
cputeq Inactive Account Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 464 Original Poster	Originally posted by little laker That is sooo cool I've got to ask, whom won the war Thanks! This fight, the snake won the fish the first time. Yeah, they fought again. The second time (I'm still processing shots), I'm not sure what happened. I think the egret actually either stole a fish the snake was about to get or hit the snake itself. The snake got extremely pissed, got on a rock out of the water and looked like he was back and ready to strike the bird. The bird just moseyed away like he wasn't scared in the least! I think the snake went on down the stream after that.

06-30-2008, 12:23 PM	#7
Frank Fletcher Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Photos: Albums Posts: 257	What a moment! Beautiful capture.

06-30-2008, 01:14 PM	#8
SCGushue Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Pennsylvania Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,449	That is a very intersting capture and quite a good stroke of fortune to be witness to such an occurance. Congrats! Stephen

06-30-2008, 02:41 PM	#9
dws1117 Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Spring, TX. Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,157	Really awesome capture. You were very lucky to be able to whitness and photograph the event.

06-30-2008, 03:20 PM	#10
little laker Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Photos: Gallery Posts: 5,697	I don't know why no ones mentiones it yet, but I think that might be something a nature magazine would be interested in cputeq. I'd send off a couple of teasers from the series if I was you

06-30-2008, 03:37 PM	#11
falconeye Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Munich, Alps, Germany Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,871	This is such a great keeper, I would experiment a bit with post processing. In particular, the contrast within the shadows (read: the snake) could be better. And nobody here will tell anybody that the snake and rocks had the same color

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06-30-2008, 03:39 PM	#12
irish_spring Forum Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Sunnyvale, CA Posts: 88	Very good capture. Perfect timing! Wow!

06-30-2008, 04:23 PM	#13
cputeq Inactive Account Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 464 Original Poster	Originally posted by little laker I don't know why no ones mentiones it yet, but I think that might be something a nature magazine would be interested in cputeq. I'd send off a couple of teasers from the series if I was you Thank you. I"m inquiring as we speak

06-30-2008, 04:25 PM	#14
cputeq Inactive Account Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 464 Original Poster	Originally posted by falconeye This is such a great keeper, I would experiment a bit with post processing. In particular, the contrast within the shadows (read: the snake) could be better. And nobody here will tell anybody that the snake and rocks had the same color Thanks ! Believe it or not I've wrestled with the PP on this thing for quite a while now. The problem with the image is that there's a heck of a lot of dynamic range here. We go from bright white egret to dark shadows under rocks. The original PEF is clipped on both ends. Recovery gets the egret's colors in line, but then I'm having to wrestle with bringing the blacks down without ruining contrast. Upping saturation, vibrance, clarity in lightroom helps, but getting the image "more poppy" is harder than I thought it would be. I'm really wrestling with keeping the egret from clipping. I think I'll have to experiment with curves some more to see if I can fine-tune the exposure here.

06-30-2008, 04:33 PM	#15
little laker Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Photos: Gallery Posts: 5,697	If it's taken with a K10D or older camera feel free to e-mail the PEF to me, and I'll see if I can do any better. I tried working with your JPG there, and couldn't gain any improvement with it For the most art I'm impressed with the processing that you have done.