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| Group |
Round |
C/R |
Comment |
Date |
Image |
| 36 |
Mar 26 |
Reply |
Thanks for explaining the weather conditions, you have solved half of the mysteries. What you say makes perfect sense. Much appreciated. |
Mar 19th |
| 36 |
Mar 26 |
Reply |
Thanks for commenting. You identified one of the many mysteries about this image. I agree the water is really flat and there really was no wind. The reeds are quite still. So what was driving the fog across the lake? |
Mar 15th |
| 36 |
Mar 26 |
Reply |
Thanks Adi. I'm hoping for help with the cloud color thing, it just seems strange. I'm even more amazed that this came from my iphone. |
Mar 15th |
| 36 |
Mar 26 |
Reply |
Thank you Paul, you ae most kind. |
Mar 14th |
| 36 |
Mar 26 |
Reply |
Thanks Michael. I agree about the fog. I've not seen such thick and fast moving fog. Thanks for the positive comment about the deck and the reeds. When I saw the fog I knew a foreground would make or break it and there was so little time. I've3 grown to liok the brown deck as a link between the orange clouds and their reflection. |
Mar 14th |
| 36 |
Mar 26 |
Comment |
I love these shots where I get to travel down the lonely road and be surrounded by the sights and smells (from memory) of nature. It is even better when the road curves presenting the mystery of "just what is around the bend". The image feel like I'm driving INTO fall as the trees are green in the foreground and the color seeps in as the road continues. Being a naturalist at heart I'm not fond of the car (I agree with Michael that it is a maker's choice) but I'm going to go one step further and wish that was a muddy country road carpeted with fallen leaves. I can dream can't I?
A really inviting lovely scene. |
Mar 14th |
| 36 |
Mar 26 |
Comment |
I'm so glad I read the entire description. You put in a great deal of work on this and it shows. I appreciate the frame within a frame created by the trees as this brings emphasis to the center portion of the building. The image is lovely as it is, but I think you might be able work a little additional magic on the trunk of the big right palm. And as Michael suggest perhaps those shadows on the lower portion of the house could be opened just a bit. I really do not like real dark holes. I do appreciate you dedication to working through all the processing. |
Mar 14th |
| 36 |
Mar 26 |
Comment |
Well for once I'm glad I'm a bit late. I like your revised image much better. It just has a bit more "pop". For me the white building on the left acts like an eye catcher from where my eye is free to roam around the image and experience the multitude of textures. Strong use of the art element can make a simple scene into something compelling and I think that when you continue the tweaks this can be even better.
By the way, Adobe has a pretty good help line if you need it. |
Mar 14th |
| 36 |
Mar 26 |
Comment |
I'm first struck by the flowing waves of colors. It almost seems like I'm viewing it from the "deck" of a Prairie Schooner. I think the progressive flow of color from the blue/greens to the yellows is a lovely progression. I have a personal love for images that feature a small and almost insignificant subject (the barn) that when placed in the right composition seems to quadruple in size and dominate the scene. This just seems so well done I could admire it all day. You topped last month for sure. |
Mar 14th |
| 36 |
Mar 26 |
Comment |
Thanks for the memories, I've pasted the tree so many times. This is probably the first ti me I've seen it blooming--something different and original. This is a classic composition for a lone tree in a field and it works well. I do like the muted tones of the trees, just makes it look and feel like spring. However, the sky looks very out of place. Maybe this is white balance, but it just looks unnatural. |
Mar 14th |
5 comments - 5 replies for Group 36
|
| 39 |
Mar 26 |
Comment |
I am a great fan of monochrome images where there is an abundance of well defined midtones. These are excellent and they really make the image come to life. |
Mar 15th |
1 comment - 0 replies for Group 39
|
| 67 |
Mar 26 |
Reply |
Hi Ann
You may be new here but you come with quite a resume and after looking at your website you certainly know what to do with a camera. Your home page banners of the wild horses is certainly an impactful image. Love the wild look in the eyes. You are so right, capturing that moment is exhilerating.
As for your comments, feel free to speak your mind, I'll appreciate the honesty |
Mar 20th |
| 67 |
Mar 26 |
Reply |
Hi Cindy
I agree in that I prefer fully body shots to partials. I thought about creating something more like Butch's edit but I wanted to see what others would do or say and not tip the scales one way or the other. I think perhaps Butch left the cat too bright--like he is in sunlight instead of the shadows he was actually in. But the dark background does make him pop a bit more. |
Mar 20th |
| 67 |
Mar 26 |
Reply |
Thanks David
Shooting in the wild means that everything is not always perfect. Image like this are about capturing a decisive moment and you take what you get. Sometimes the expression is worth the click of a shutter. |
Mar 20th |
| 67 |
Mar 26 |
Comment |
Hey David
Like I mentioned earlier with our clear skies and bright sunlight shooting up at large winged birds will generally get you lots of dark shadows under their wings that will need a bit of opening. If you are worried about settings just remember a fast shutter is your friend and the smaller the bird,the faster the shutter needs to be. And remember white birds on a bright day will need to be a bit underexposed or you will need to use exposure compensation.
Enjoy our Florida sunshine.
|
Mar 10th |
| 67 |
Mar 26 |
Comment |
Ihat almost looks like a flower on a stem. You have to really look to see the peek-a-boo eye. I will agree with Butch that is like more fine art than Nature. Still the image is sharp and the colors a lovely. |
Mar 10th |
| 67 |
Mar 26 |
Comment |
I love nature images where the intensity of the gaze is vital to the story. Here you are down low and this is intimate territory. The eyes are fixed and you could be on the menu. Then there is the next step, that massive raised paw speaks loud and clear. The cat is emerging from the forest and the intent is clear. The separation from the background is excellent. This is powerful. |
Mar 8th |
| 67 |
Mar 26 |
Comment |
Cindy
I do love these actions shots. You have a great story, one most people will never experience. Best of all you have the decisive moment. The action is clearly visible if you study the image closely so my wish is that you could open the shadows on the action couple just a bit. That may make it easier to see the action.
After looking at your original I was wondering if just for fun you could set up a vertical crop featuring on the two birds of the left and then with a bit of shadow adjusting maybe bring the action a bit closer. It may not be competition quality but I might be an interesting shot.
Thanks for posting this. |
Mar 8th |
| 67 |
Mar 26 |
Comment |
Welcome to the Group!
I fully understand your mustang problem. I have visited the Outer Banks of N.C. 6 times and I drive 12 hours to get there. All I'm seen of that live fabled horses that live there is a pile of dung. Stick to the birds!!
A tip about that not having time for camera settings. I set my camera up, including setting when I get out of the vehicle. I usually use Manual with Auto-ISO, I almost always start with the aperture wide open which is either f4 or f5.6 depending on which lens I'm using. If I'm shoot at the infinity focus point DOF is not an issue. I want the fastest shutter speed the conditions will allow. I want a sharp image. If I have drop fast to a knee or raise a camera for a flight shot the camera is ready. I walk with the expectation that with my next step I will be shooting.
As for this shot of the egret (I checked the original) your exposure looks a bit over. I always suggest shooting white birds a bit under exposed. I can open shadows in post, I cannot recover what is burned out. Two things that will kill and image area lack of sharpness and overexposure. I prefer to shoot white birds on overcast days just because of exposure problems. I suggest using exposure compensation. I also take periodic test shots while walking to check my exposures.
YOur image has a solid nature story (interaction among members of the same species) and you have a visible eye on each bird. Nature images demand that. You have some good action and that is a plus. The images seems a bit flat which you likely could solve by a setting the black and white points and then fiddling with an s curve to adjust the midtones.
You got a story and some action-- that is a great starting point. Keep the images coming.
|
Mar 8th |
| 67 |
Mar 26 |
Comment |
Well, you certainly have captured close up image of a child's lack of table manners. The story here is quite plain it is meal time. I do like the action and as far a s anyone thinking it is a bit gory, well nature is not always pretty.
After absorbing the initial impact of the image the next thing I look at is technical merit---basically is it sharp. I don't care what the image is, with today's cameras an lenses getting wickedly sharp images is just a must. You do not provide the ISO setting but with an 800mm focal length and f9 at 1/800 you should have excellent sharpness. The main eye is sharp and is an attention grabber but everything else is soft. I'm going to assume that this was hand held, almost no one uses a tripod any more, but hand holding a long lens does include some camera shake.
As a photo judge I can tell you that really tight and heavily cropped nature shots just do not score well. There is a need for context. Partial body shots are frowned on, with rare exception.
I feel the final opinion as to the quality of the image co mes down to you. It is your image. I bet this is a moment you won't forget and for that alone I'm sure you consider it a good shot.
As for me, like it and if it were mine it would certainly have pride of place in my collection. I just would likely not show it to very many people.
Thanks for sharing. |
Mar 8th |
| 67 |
Mar 26 |
Reply |
Thanks for your comments. Like you I generally do not like partial animal images. There are exceptions. What about a whale breaching? There are always exceptions. I like stories and when dealing with predators that stalk and hunt by stealth, sometimes the story is the stealth. You have to live in their world and nature does not always make it easy. You've know me for a while and know that I'm a loner. I don't use guides, game ranches for my photography. I want to do it myself. The shot is likely not competition worthy and I could care less. The shot is meaningful to me. In my lifetime I've photographed 3 wild bobcats and as you suggest they are so elusive. I know what the like to eat and where I can find the prey. Then I wait.
Just so you know I'm aware of the need for full body shots. I was walking an everglades trail one morning maybe 6-7 years ago and as I pushed through some cabbage palms I found someone waiting for me. I tried to get down to eye level, but there was not time, I just made it to one knee and got this shot. Then she left. But it is FULL Body. I'll remember this shot, we did make eye contact (cool feeling) but the posted shot for this month so do like better.
Please note, this is all in fun. We have been friends for far too long. But seriously, come to Florida and I'll gladly take you for a daybreak swamp walk. Just know we will be wet and dirty when it is over and there are no guarantees what we will find. Don't worry about mosquitoes, I can keep them off you. When we are finished, breakfast is on me at the Cracker Barrel 10 miles outside the park. |
Mar 4th |
 |
6 comments - 4 replies for Group 67
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12 comments - 9 replies Total
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