2014: It BEGAN with a BRRRRR!
by Bear_Music

Comment:
It's a beauty. Congrats on the blue ribbon.

cory_redtail
by aliqui

Comment:
And, this is why I make few comments on images anymore. Constructive criticism is not wanted.

Originally posted by aliqui: Originally posted by hahn23: Congrats on your Yellow ribbon. Not close to a realistic presentation, but the judges may not have been looking for natural colors and tones. The overall cast of red in the bird's feathers is way overdone. The eye of the RT Hawk is never a glowing owl-like yellow. You did achieve a good white balance on the snow, but it appears to be a selective desaturation. Overall, your presentation is artistic. "Well, gee," this sounds like a retaliation post for the comment I made on your image of a red-tail with purple eyes and the flaming tail. I noticed that you deleted that photo after you so adamantly defended your "true colors" and made some of the changes I recommended. Also gone are my original comments, and your snarky responses. Frankly, I've lost a TON of respect for you as a nature photographer after seeing your edit, your "photographer's comments" claiming the edit to be true coloring, and then your reaction to my honest critique of your edit. I know you'd like to think you're the expert on all things outdoors, but you're apparently not. My comment on your photo was more "crique-y" than on other photos, because no one else was saying "this is what they look like" or claiming to be the authority on the matter. My father is a falconer (yes, I'm pulling that card), and growing up I had red-tails living in my living room and had them sitting on my arm. Your edit is NOT what they look like. Yes, my presentation is a little bit artistic, but I never laid claim that it was anything otherwise. I won't deny dodging and burning to add effect. The feel is sort of like the old bird identification books that have a painted feel to them. You on the other hand made an attempt with your photographer's comments to claim your presentation as true coloring, which is painfully wrong. I didn't add any colors into my photo that weren't already there. I merely enhanced with a +18 Vibrance boost. That and the Auto-tone from Lightroom were all that were done that could have changed the colorings of the bird. I didn't make glowing "owl-like" eyes as you claim. I dodged the eye and highlight to make it stand out a little, but did not change the coloring. If you think they're yellow, like you were saying in couple with your "owl-like" comments elsewhere, you need to look again. They're actually a little pink when you zoom in, which had I noticed, I probably would have changed. I just want to say again how much you have disappointed me. Despite reading about some issues you've had with others in the forums, I had no reason to not respect you as a person and a nature photographer until this challenge and our interactions. I can let the disagreement go about colorings, but your attitude has been out of line since the start. I made a genuine, honest comment on your original edit, and you response was defensive and aggressive. I apologized and you responded with "I thanked you for the critique, what more do you want?" and then you deleted the photo along with our interaction and made color adjustments. I let it go, because clearly you were upset, but now you come back and make this post on my image attacking it. I don't see that you've made any other comments like this on any of the other participants. Clearly you've singled me out. You wonder why you have people problems here? Take a closer look at yourself sometime... Grow up.

cory_redtail
by aliqui

Comment:
Congrats on your Yellow ribbon. Not close to a realistic presentation, but the judges may not have been looking for natural colors and tones. The overall cast of red in the bird's feathers is way overdone. The eye of the RT Hawk is never a glowing owl-like yellow. You did achieve a good white balance on the snow, but it appears to be a selective desaturation. Overall, your presentation is artistic.

Alligator Point
by grahamgator

Comment:
Beautiful light and colors. Dream-like and unique.

Old Centennial among the winter corn field
by drake217

Comment:
Harmonious composition. Best in show! 10

Silent Night (Feliz Naviduck)
by vawendy

Comment:
Congrats, vawendy, on your blue ribbon. While it's hard to say for sure the id of the waterfowl, my best guess, based on silhouette would be a Common Loon.

Winter Solstice Sentinel
by quiche

Comment:
My favorite in this challenge. Wonderful composition. Amazing detail and deep DOF. 9

Tandem
by sfalice

Comment:
Wonderful. My favorite in this challenge. 9

Dana Point Harbor View
by Melethia

Comment:
This should have place much higher. I really like the image.

Sundown at the Icehouse
by Bear_Music

Comment:
Amazing crepuscular rays. Wonderful detail in the shadows. Might be an HDR blend, and if it is, it's very natural looking. Bravo!