Here is my Topaz Labs link if you want to check out their products: topazlabs.com/ref/847/. For all my other gear go to mattshannon.ca/gear. Thanks for watching!
That was really neat, Matt! I usually use Denoise and Sharpen but I have yet to try Gigapixel. I think I have a low-light, zoomed in owl shot of my own I might try this trio with, too!
You are very welcome Laura! Those are the two programs I use the most too. Gigapixel helped when I needed to blow a few images up for printing. Every image seems to work a bit differently on the program so be sure to scan around the photo once the topaz program is applied to catch any unwanted artifacts it may have created or over sharpened. I hope it helps!
Bottom line for me is that you took the actual picture and used the tools in the toolbox to bring it to life. Fantastic results! I'll have to consider these software options and go back through some of my "failed" shots to see if I can bring them out to something useable.
Yes! So great to hear you like the video. I’m still wrapping my head around editing and talking to the camera explaining what I am doing lol. Thanks for the feedback and thank you for watching!
Amazing what these programs can do. The dark and light edit looks great. I'm not sure why other photographers think keeping the image flat creates a more compelling photo. They be crazzzy.
Hi Matt. Always enjoy your videos. Thank you for sharing your expertise with us. I have used the Topaz DeNoise, Sharpen, Gigapixel and now Photo AI. Love them. Bill (Sidney, BC)
Hi Bill! Your in my neck of the woods. Thanks for sharing. How do you like Photo AI as an All-in-one? I tend to stick to DeNoise and Sharpen without giving Photo AI much chance.
Some incredible software available today. I use DxO Photolab & Nik collection, love the software and the results are very good. Maybe the best software today imo lol😊 Keep Warm! Cheers from "The Rock"
This software is incredible...I've only used DeNoise, but I think I'll be adding Sharpen and Gigapixel to the tool box soon. Also, shout out to DxO PureRAW as well....amazing.
Hi Matt! Great video and really interested to see more of your processing techniques. I’ll take a look at Topaz as well and see if it will add to my workflow. Thanks!
Hey there. I use both topaz and dxo. Pure raw does have sharpening as an option. There are a few levels. I only use occasionally with the least strong option called “soft” because anything else looks fake to my eyes.
@MatthewRaifman I agree. I've used pure raw a handful of times so it's great to hear your feedback on this. I didn't mention it in the video but I usually walk away from the computer for a moment to reset my eyes and give the new edited image a fresh look to see what stands out. It's easy to get carried away. My wife is my second test and if it passes that test I might be in the clear. Thanks for sharing.
@@MattShannonPhotoha! I do exactly the same thing with my wife. Appreciated the video and sounds like we have very similar perspectives and names :-). Be well!
Hi Matt, I have all of their products including the now defunct Topaz Mask AI. I use Denoise on a regular basis but rarely use Gigapixel and only use Sharpen AI sparingly. I found the owl to be too dark so adjusted the lows and highs to give it a bit more light. Each to his own they say but these programs are not gimmicks and when used properly can give great results. Old style is to try to neutralize extreme dark and extreme light so that most details are not blown out by too much light or blocked in the shadows. In other words "minimize the shadows". What you have done here IMO is the opposite. Maybe you went for a more moody look? Not sure. Perhaps you could have momentarily touched on the sliders for each of the four modes in Denoise and Sharpen as well as being able to set the magnification in Gigapixel without just using a pre-set value. This would have been helpful to your subscribers. Steve
I've used it a few times, maybe works 1 in 30 images, and I can always tell it was artificially sharpened. Even messing with the settings, so I try not to use it.
Makes you wonder then why so many people including professionals use it and render such good results. Your comments are totally baffling to me as I have found it to be "the icing on the cake" when it comes to finishing off a good image. Not just me either as the positive reactions from other people viewing my finished work speak for themselves.
Hi Matt, Great video - I use the Topaz suite and think it's good. I am another Vancouver Island resident - I moved here (mid-island area) this fall after 25 years in Alberta. I knew where to find owls back there (great horned, great greys and snowies), but have drawn a blank here so far. Any tips would be gratefully received.
Hi Andy, I had the same problem as you when I first started to get into digital and get serious about owl photography. Owls are everywhere on the island although there are some species that are quite a bit more elusive than others. You can find horned and barred owls in any tract of bush pretty much. Used sparingly audio is sometimes a good way to be able to see these birds. The key is knowing when and when not too use it. Constant playing for a long period of time can desensitize the birds or confuse them. Especially during nesting time when they need to spend more time feeding their young. Time of day is also crucial. There is the odd owl that is diurnal (daytime) like short-eared owls but they are not as prevalent as the crepuscular kind (early morning) or (late afternoon) or nocturnal (night time) when they are always more active. I went to a local venue several times before realizing that in order to see pygmy owls you needed to be there earlier in the morning as they were all gone by about 10:00am. Other than that, all I can say is be diligent and you will build more knowledge about several owl species that reside on Vancouver Island. Wishing you good luck and good light - Steve Large, The Owl Man, www.larges.ca
Thanks@@Stevelarge1 . I was wondering where I should be looking for each species - should I go to the estuaries and coastlines, or go inland? In the interior, should I go to the natural forests, or hang around fields in the farmed areas? I know that some owls like to hang out in the tree lines on the edge of open meadows and fields, for instance.
@@Andy_Thomas Hi Andy, That would depend on the type of owl you were after of course. The fall and winter are definitely the time of year for field owls and other raptors like harriers. We see them in the late afternoon or early evenings in open fields or at river estuaries mostly although some have been known to come out early in the morning too (barn owls and short-eared owls). Horned, barred, and pygmy can be seen anytime and are found year round. Look for pygmy owls near cliffs and escarpments during the spring and summer and at lower elevations in winter in the forest near a water source such as a lake or river. Horned and barred can be found in local parks without the need to travel too far. Everybody seems to freak out when they find a nest for one of these forest owls but in my experience they are very common. You just need to look around. Steve
@@Stevelarge1 Hi Steve, no, not me. Buttertub Marsh is about 40 minute drive for me, so I do not frequent it. Pity - I see a lot of sightings on eBirds from there.
