Strange one.. photographing racing pigeons

[Hibby]

Hi there I have photoshop elements 9. I’m currently trying to take some pictures of my racing pigeons and wondering just how the ones in various magazines and online are formed. I know starting with as good an original image as possible is the foundation but it’s the touch up and neatness I can’t get.

From the cutting around the outline of the pigeon and getting super smooth flowing lines to the feet positioning, perfect wing and tail alinement. I will include some photos I have taken of my pigeons and some images taken by pigeon photographers. Is it possible to get similar images using elements or not?

I will post my photos first took on my Nikon DSLR (note I changed background coulor in light box to try and assist in cropping images, however I found the green bled onto the pigeons themselves once cropped giving them a green tinge to there outline.

 

[Hibby]

Here’s some images done by professionals/people who have been taking photographs of pigeons for a long time.

 

[Hibby]

These images are eventually what I’d like to get close too.

 

[Hibby]

My attempts so far from some of the images I took. However as you can see stance etc just isn’t right. It’s the process of getting the same template every time. Is it possible to cut a template from and image I like then autofit pigeon into template? As it seems this is what’s happening or so many images to have the exact same stance. I don’t want to alter how the birds look just to have the uniformed stance where they all match. As this is the norm in the racing world.

 

[Hibby]

Finally you can see how much some are altered. Image is of same pigeon. Not what I want to do. I’m simply wanting the correct stance and uniformed pictures for making collages etc.

 

[Eggy]

Let me first say that Photoshop Elements 9 is old...and doesn't have the calculation power nor more sofisticated tools of Elements CC 2018...
I never worked with Elements (way too basic) but here are some tutorials on selections in Elements:
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=photoshop+elements+9+selections

Along with Photoshop, Elements has evolved since version 9, enabling a more accurate selection calculation and tools.

About the use of a green or blue screen you should never use that on stills due to bleeding into the selection.
You can correct that but that's making your job even more difficult...

 

[Hibby]

Thanks for the reply. I shall update my current version of elements to CC2018. To be honest it was just what I had bought some years ago for basic editing. Thanks for the link I’ll take a look.

Would you say the professional images have been made using some form of template where the pigeons are made to fit inside a master outline, thus keeping all the birds I the sane stance. With uniformed legs,tails and wings?

Thanks again.

 

[Eggy]

Would you say the professional images have been made using some form of template where the pigeons are made to fit inside a master outline, thus keeping all the birds I the sane stance. With uniformed legs,tails and wings?

Probably, because of the repeated work that needs to be done but the birds are what they are, a cut-out placed on a new background with or without using a template.

 

[IamSam]

Also, take a look here at these related threads: https://www.photoshopgurus.com/forum/threads/how-to-edit-a-pigeon.52513/

https://www.photoshopgurus.com/forum/threads/how-to-edit-a-pigeon-2.56442/