Vittorio Fracassi

not exactly self evident...

thanks for appreciating the effort beyond the lucky capture, in particular when expressed by a photographer with high visual sensitivity and competence like you.

Too often bird photographs look like textbook illustrations: backgrounds, social behaviour, colour schemes are neglected in favour of feather detail and frozen action.

Regards, Vittorio

thanks for not entering this great photograph in the "Your Best Bird Shot", thus allowing me to place mine!
it's the nature picture that every photographer who has sat for hours in uncomfortable shelters dreams of taking...
Regards, Vittorio

thanks for not entering this great photograph in the "Your Best Bird Shot", thus allowing me to place mine!
it's the nature picture that every photographer who has sat for hours in uncomfortable shelters dreams of taking...
Regards, Vittorio

thanks for pointing out this essential detail photo nuts, the light was right (14 min before sunset), the bird was kindly flying in the right direction, and a bit of PP helped too!
Regards, Vittorio

thanks Patty! in particular since the favourable comment comes from someone who knows how to take pictures.
Regards, Vittorio

the Exif data takes into account the presence of the Extender and give the result of multiplying the Focal Length (200mm) of the lens by the multiplying factor of the Extender(x1.4). Result 280mm.
Cheers, Vittorio

Hi jpmalohesr and Vishvas,
your reaction with the complaint of introducing new pixels to create parts (or heavily manipulate) the reflection is understandable. The image has a certain airyness/dreamyness which suggests a detachment from reality.

I confirm that this image is postprocessed in a complex way using Lightroom 2, Nik Efex Software and Photoshop CS3 but that no part of the image is a result of “painting in” details or reintroduction of manipulated components. In simple words, no part of the image is in any way graphically different from the original capture.

Postprocessing was aimed at;
- the reduction of low ISO noise on the water surface,
- the increase of micro-contrast in the feathers, bird and reflection,
- the increase of luminosity in the feathers of the wings to enhance transparency.
Low ISO noise was revealed during sharpening of the original RAW image in Nik Color Efex 3.0 Pro. Here are two 300% screen shots of details of the tail of the bird body and of the tail in the reflection:

http://www.dpreview.com/galleries/6333157380/photos/1653115/gull-sharp-nik-tiff-300pc-detail-1
http://www.dpreview.com/galleries/6333157380/photos/1653116/gull-sharp-nik-tiff-300pc-detail-2
note that noise is heavy and the transition between bird and water pixels and bird and reflection pixels is continuous, indicating no sign of introduction of new pixels in Photoshop.

In decreasing Noise also sharpness decreased, so I split the image in 2 layers in CR3 using the Magnetic Lasso tool very carefully around the bird’s body, to separate it from the rest of the image containing the water surface and reflection.
I applied sharpening to the bird’s Layer and heavy noise reduction to the background, then the two were stacked and flattened. Selective sharpening and exposure increase with Brush in Lightr. did the rest.

Just to check what a stacked flattened layer looks like in Photoshop here are two screen shots of the same details shown above at 300% after the layer splitting and reassembly.

http://www.dpreview.com/galleries/6333157380/photos/1653118/gull-final-flat-cr3-300pc-detail-1-with-notes
http://www.dpreview.com/galleries/6333157380/photos/1653119/gull-final-flat-cr3-300pc-detail-2

note in particular the part where the CS3 Lasso jumped across the background (yellow).

Here is the “geometry” of the scene:
-Location: peer on lake Viverone, 45°25’50N; 8°02’00E, 230m ASL
-Date and hour: 13.02.2010 5:28pm, sun sets 5:42pm (winter time)
-Bird: distance from sensor 14m, estimated height above water 0.80m, flight direction towards W-NW, flight speed slow.
-Camera: estimated height of sensor above water 2.90m, tracked in single AF point in AI-Servo from floating to take-off and beginning of level flight, multiple exposure panning from direction S-SE to S-SW, full IS on, handheld, chosen image from sequence is one clear of water ripples (the next one unusable due to flare).

This is the description of Capture and Postprocessing which determined the challenge image. So now you can evaluate the relevance (or irrelevance) of your comments.
Thanks for giving me the opportunity to share my photographic experience and to clarify the apparent misunderstanding,
Regards, Vittorio

hi Ahmad Hailan,
the Exif data shows the actual Focal Length of the optical equipment used, not the Equivalent 35mm Focal Length, which is what I presume you are referring to. Iin this case: 1.6x1.4x200mm= 448mm.
Regards, Vittorio

thought this one deserved to score much higher. Difficult however for portraits, the highest ranked 27th and it's an "evergreen".
Regards, Vittorio.

hi AussieJo,
given the great popularity of this Challenge would you consider increasing the number of entries and reopen the submission phase?
Regards, Vittorio

the picture everyone would like to take.
Vittorio

DPReview has been during 2011 my constant companion in photography. Articles inspire. Challenges and Fora are a mirror in which to see and rationalise our "photographic self". Reviews a guideline to reduce harware misdemeanours. Irreplaceable.
Best Wishes for a Happy New Year!

watch out author of this good portrait, the measured ratio of non-face to total surface is about 19%! I would not be surprised if you will have to do some more cropping to re-submit after being disqualified...
Regards, Vittorio

hello AussieJo,
you have a very good eye! My previous entry, the face of Beppe which you removed twice, in the second edition had 12.7% of non-face surface, measured with CAD surface measurer.
This one has 3.4% of non-face surface, I hope it complies with the rules...
Regards, Vittorio

a relevant coment, but at the end all that counts are the votes, cast low for excess of PP and high for those which express your ideal of "photography", Regards, Vittorio (author of one of the chosen entries)

hi fathernature,
I voted highest for yours which in my opinion deserved to win: simple and telling message, delightful pose of the two sweethearts, perfectly framed.
The challenge votes/entries ratio was too low to deliver a significant ranking.
Regards, vittorio