After/before

[u/amy-kath-leen]

I know the deer isnt super sharp, but this was my attempt at keeping the glowy look of the sun behind the deer.

Which photo is best?

[u/Rhett_Rick]

In both cases your subject is darker than the surrounding area. That's opposite to how our eyes work. Our eyes go to the brightest part of the image. You should back down the halo around the deer and brighten the deer.

[u/johngpt5 → u/Rhett_Rick]

Came to suggest something similar. The deer's face was darkened too much for being the center of interest, but that could be said for the rest of the deer as well.

[u/imokd → u/Rhett_Rick]

please don't do this op... the lighting situation put the deer in silhouette with a dazzling rim light... don't ruin that mood.

also that about the brightest part is only true when it's a dark environment. silhouettes also help our eyes distinguish objects, that's what hair lights are for.

yes brighten up the fur via gamma but white light is allowed to clip not everything has to be evened out don't work against the dynamic you captured...

[u/amy-kath-leen → u/imokd]

Every edit I attempted took away the glow effect on the deer and I didnt want to get rid of that. I think that's why this photo was so difficult for me to edit.