Blurring the Background

Impressive PP work on these, Ding!

There's really no right or wrong way to process a bird photo, it all depends on what you intend to do with your work.

If you wish to present them as natural history type captures (printable say in Nat Geo), blurring the BG in PP, no matter how much it improves the aesthetics of the capture, is a big no-no. I try to subscribe to this presentation of nature photos. Generally, only minor PP work is done, like adjustments of exposure, contrast, levels, saturation, and sharpness. Cropping, NR (not blurring) and cloning of minor distacting elements may be done, though the latter should be practiced with conservatism.

This approach is also similar to the practices observed at Naturescapes' Birds Forum, where the best birdshooters around the world post their work.

www.naturescapes.net/phpBB3/viewforum.php?f=3



Now, if you wish to present your work as Digital Art (which is another nice genre), anything can be done to it, including cloning and blurring of BG.

Interestingly, the common practice in most respected nature photo forums is to mention what special PP work was done when posting photos. This is to guide the viewer whether to appreciate the work as natural history image, or digital art.


For me, I try to blur the BG during capture (long lens + wide aperture + large distance between subject and BG). It's not an easy thing to do, and I nail it very rarely, but it's one challenge that makes me enjoy wild bird photography so much.

To my PP-trained eye, it's easy to spot the ones with a blurred BG.... these are not as pleasing as lens-induced blurring, and actually appear too artificial. You did a great job though in making the transitions quite seamless (you'll make a good plastic surgeon! ;D).

If I were using this as a natural history image, I'll leave the BG the same as shot.

If I intend to make a digital artwork out of this, I would have shot some images right after the money shot, with the BG intentionally blurred by defocusing the lens a bit, and moving the aiming point clear of the perch. Such a BG shot will have the same lighting/exposure settings as the money shot, and any WB applied on the former will also be applied on the latter. I'll then merge the two distinct shots into a composite image. This method is often practiced by Artie Morris.

Let me caution though that posting digitally altered images without telling that these were manipulated might reflect badly on the reputation of the nature photographer. I've heard of at least a few photographers at popular international forums that do such, and all their photos have become suspect, even the ones that were really perfect captures and with only minimal PP work done.

We do have an implied "rule" at PBPF - digitally altered bird images should be posted at the Digital Art board. For the exhibits and book projects where yours truly was part of the organizing committee, I've always asked that major digital alterations should not be done on the submissions.