Jackie, looking back at my post I think it might have come across a little too bluntly - I'd just had a shout from the kitchen to say my dinner was ready.

Anyway, the editing on the bird is excellent, you really couldn't tell unless you knew where to look and studied it hard. It's the background that there's a problem, and I've circled where on the image below.




I'm very particular about this sort of thing, and I just think it's a shame to have these obvious edits (to me at least) spoil a nice, sharp shot of the bird. It's why I do so little photoshopping of this sort - it just takes so long to make sure that all the loose ends are tied up.

Honestly? I think it would take too long to get smooth, natural looking background areas in the pieces I've highlighted. Especially bottom left where there's so little 'original' background to work from. I'd end up copying some bits, painting in others, adding grain to the painted bits... I could probably do it, but it would take a long time, and I'd tear a bit of hair out while I was at it.

Dan

Another one to illustrate why you should be very careful about photoshopping pics - it's a lovely shot of a Sparrow spoilt, for me, by the poor editing of the area above and above-right of the birds head, and behind/under its bum.

If anyone's going in for this major cloning out, it's vital that you spend as much time checking the work you've done, as you do doing it.

Dan

Well, that is occasionally true, in which case I would use my eye. Usually though, I find I prefer the look of a pic with a level camera.

Dan

Edited to remove an inadvertant

I hope it enjoys its trip! Or is that where the new Pentax Service Centre is?

Dan

Does it matter? And who says he hasn't? And again, does it matter? Brian's one of the Old School, and I for one am very happy to have him around.

Dan

Ah, that image I can see, in the webpage I mean.

Looking again at the source, it's this one I can't see:

http://www.bjlawson.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/images/main_background.png

Dan

I tend to do it the other way round. I get my composition as I want it, check the level and adjust if necessary, then check the compostion again, then level again. I'm usually happy by then.

Dan

I've always read the percentage in the header bar, so never noticed it bottom left.

I've always used the menu option: View>Print Size. Ususally zooming in and out is just ctrl+ or ctrl-, so I never use the zoom tool either.

Dan

I thought "Box? That must be something in the later versions...", but having opened PSE up, I've just spotted it lurking bottom left.

Funny how you get along perfectly well with something without knowing half of what it does.

Dan

Well, that shouldn't be a problem generally (well, not for my computer at least, I used them for my own, still on the back-burner, redesign).

I just don't understand why the background isn't showing for me.

Edit: Just tried to open the background image, which I believe is at http://www.brianlawson.co.uk/images/Haylo.png , and got a 404 error, so if that is the right address for it, that's why it's not showing in my browser.

Dan