Crocodile pair awaits

[pbdweeeebie]

Juveniles in a pen at Crocodile Centre, St Lucia South Africa

As shot "before" any processing:-

"After" PSE5 processing:-

Where: Crocodile Centre, St Lucia South Africa
Gear: Samsung Pro815
Settings: f/4, 1/100s ISO50 49mm

Composed the shot to try and capture the "mirror" image of the two crocs basking in the light.

All post production done in Photoshop Elements 5 using add-on Flaming Pear Flood filters.

Tried to achieve the following: make the [juvenile] crocs appear larger than their actual size and far removed from the concrete pen they were in!

The "before" shot required hanging the camera over the edge of a wall and that limited composition and a number of shooting alternatives. Even juvenile crocs can inflict a nasty bite!

Is the image over-sharpened and should have less contrast?

[xxpinballxx]

I like it overall.....
I will only comment on the question asked....I think it might be just a tad too sharp although the stylized way you added the textures add to it gives it more of an artistic take and the over-sharpened scales of the crocs seem fine to me. I havent looked at it zoomed in however....
Do you want a hint about the flood tool?

[arphot]

Originally Posted by pbdweeeebie

All post production done in Photoshop Elements 5 using add-on Flaming Pear Flood filters.

It almost seems as though the process verges on an HDR process (as in the darkening/detail process). That's the difference I see in these photos vs any fearsome appearances. Those Flaming Pear plugins look cool, I'm thinking of getting the Photography Pack.

[Alex168]

Just a bit sharp if not the "flooding" technique works REALLY nice

[pbdweeeebie]

Originally Posted by xxpinballxx

I like it overall.....
....Do you want a hint about the flood tool?

Thanks for the comments Pinball and yup, I'd welcome some tips on the flood tool too.

[xxpinballxx]

as you know the flood tool will create a horizon wherever but it will be on a 2 dimensional plane. The problem there is the tail and legs of the second croc is closer to the camera than the rock it sits on.
If you create a new layer and apply the flood over the image you can then sculpt the horizon the give it a bit of a 3rd dimension feel. Might not make a huge difference but when looking at the two versions one without sculpting and one with) you'll se a big difference.
Just a little playing around and I figured there had to be a little bit of a better way to get a more realistic flood filter. Thats how I came up with it....others might have other ways but it is fairly easy this way.
I like the post by the way.....nice and saturated and almost dragan effect looking without the huge vignette.

[windrider86]

i like the effects you made but had to chuckle cause they look as if they are climbing a vey steep wall