Assignment #1 chatter
Hi you all,
This is the thread where we can critique the posted shots and talk about the assignment. The original assignment thread can be found here
I'm not all that thrilled with my results. I was hoping to get a shot of a single bird flying over the water at sunset. Unfortunately the lighting and the birds didn't cooperate so I took what they offered me. I was also distracted on bith days by some pesky eagles.
When I came up with the assignment topic I wanted us to go for something different in our shots. Too many of our shots, myself especially, are full framed shots of the wildlife. We almost never consider the other possibilities.
My first shot was with My D100.
I used ISO 200 because that would give me the most latitude in my post processing of the shadow areas w/o excessive noise being introduced. I used my 24-120VR lens for that shot because of the VR. I had to use a fairly wide aperture setting to keep my shutter speed up to catch the flying birds w/o excessive blurring. Due to it being sunset I would not lose that much detail in the darker background areas.
The second shot was with my D2h and 80-400VR lens.
I used the higher ISO of 400 so I could keep my shutter speed up and also have a stepped down aperture setting to keep most of the scene sharp. Since this was in bright sunset I would not have to do as much exposure adjustment in my post work as my first shot. I had to work on the sky a bit but I just selected the sky and applied noise reduction to it only.
One thing I had to keep reminding myself as I took shots for this assignment was to step down the aperture because normally I'm shooting fairly wide open and I want to blur the background.
This is the thread where we can critique the posted shots and talk about the assignment. The original assignment thread can be found here
I'm not all that thrilled with my results. I was hoping to get a shot of a single bird flying over the water at sunset. Unfortunately the lighting and the birds didn't cooperate so I took what they offered me. I was also distracted on bith days by some pesky eagles.
When I came up with the assignment topic I wanted us to go for something different in our shots. Too many of our shots, myself especially, are full framed shots of the wildlife. We almost never consider the other possibilities.
My first shot was with My D100.
I used ISO 200 because that would give me the most latitude in my post processing of the shadow areas w/o excessive noise being introduced. I used my 24-120VR lens for that shot because of the VR. I had to use a fairly wide aperture setting to keep my shutter speed up to catch the flying birds w/o excessive blurring. Due to it being sunset I would not lose that much detail in the darker background areas.
The second shot was with my D2h and 80-400VR lens.
I used the higher ISO of 400 so I could keep my shutter speed up and also have a stepped down aperture setting to keep most of the scene sharp. Since this was in bright sunset I would not have to do as much exposure adjustment in my post work as my first shot. I had to work on the sky a bit but I just selected the sky and applied noise reduction to it only.
One thing I had to keep reminding myself as I took shots for this assignment was to step down the aperture because normally I'm shooting fairly wide open and I want to blur the background.
Harry
http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
0
Comments
My second thought in the second shot was the same, except I added that florida sure has a different landscape than I do, looks lush. Just now occurs to me that it isn't marsh grass.
My third thought is that I have no idea what you are saying up here about the first shot. Why you did what you did?
Good shooting, nice and sharp, too.
Now, what the H should I put up?
ginger (It is not that I don't have anything,) and I certainly don't have them flying into the sunset. Birds around here disappear just before sunset. I don't know exactly where they go. At Magnolia, a place w/o a discernable sunset, the birds are all racing to "their" trees for the night. At the Pitt st bridge a group of Ibis seem to fly overhead every night I have been there. I managed to get a few in my lens, but they were IN THE AIR. I do imagine that they are as the Magnolia Ibis, going home before dark. I just have so many average shots. And I do shoot pretty much wide open on birds, unless I have forgotten to change from something else. Then the shutter speed goes down and I lose most everything. Or the background becomes a distraction.
I am going to bring my shots over here, maybe all of them, put them in a thread and "pick" the two to put on the sticky.
[ I just re-read it and it doesn'y seem that complicated to me. Take anotehr look and see if you have a specific question about what I did.
Good shooting, nice and sharp, too.
Any two shots you darn well please. This isn't a contest and no prizes willl be awarded. Pick out two that you would like to talk about.
http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
“PHOTOGRAPHY IS THE ‘JAZZ’ FOR THE EYES…”
http://jwear.smugmug.com/
http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
SmugMug Technical Account Manager
Travel = good. Woo, shooting!
nickwphoto
"Osprey Whisperer"
OspreyWhisperer.com
http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
Cheers
MM
"Osprey Whisperer"
OspreyWhisperer.com
However, c a l m down, those weather forecasters can scare the hell out of you and that was before this past summer!
I am thinking and hoping, and expecting, that the land will slow the hurricane down some, plus I heard something about shearing.
I lived on a barrier island when Hugo came in, and I only had 5 feet of water in my house. Rented, and the property became too valuable for me to go back with all the rebuilding, etc. But there was not a 20 ft surge.
I don't know about McClellanville where all the people huddled in the school almost died, the houses and shrimping fleet were totally destroyed. Well, I have been taking pictures there. They are BACK, as are the old houses. They are still there, and near the water, too. And the shrimp boats are there, too.
You would have to be in exactly the right place to lose everything. And to get a 20 ft surge, tell those forecasters to shut up, that you can take care of yourself without there scare tactics. I have heard them. They scared the beejeesus out of me.........and more than once.
Take care, just go north, you will be OK. Oh, and that is a very nice picture, too.
ginger
I like your stork. Too bad that bird has such an ugly face. Those feathers are purdy.
Harry......that first shot is wild. Never seen so many whit egrets in one shot. I think I know where all MY BIRDS have gone.
MM
"Osprey Whisperer"
OspreyWhisperer.com
Harry your first shot looks great with so many birds,I tried counting them but gave up.Nice sky in the background.Second shot has lovely color to it.Tricky exposure as well,so very close to blowing out the highlites.
Ginger I realy love the composition in your first shot,just beautiful.Your second shot shows the stork looking like it is getting ready to land,very well done.
Bird man,what a fantastic background for you Osprey?
Now on to mine,I had 2 other shots that I was going to use but I managed to get these yesterday and went with them instead.In the first shot I wanted to show the effort that a swan uses to get to flight.The water is still up in the air a good ways behind it,the legs came up a split second after this shot,imho this is a flight shot
My second shot shows the bird close to the water,if the lake would have been calm this would have made a nice reflection.I have other shots in this series however the highlites were blown out on some good ones. 1/1600 sec F7.1 iso 200 420mm.
The light was changing every couple of mins as the sky was full of little fluffy clouds (oh man did I just say little fluffy clouds)I wanted to keep some shoreline in the pics but maby I shouldent have now that I look at them.
Some great enteries so far.....ice
but they made me give it back.
Sure that's not just a dirty sensor Seamus?
I like this shot better than the one you posted in the Landscape forum, would have been nicer with some more clouds to catch the color but I guess we can't always have everything. I like it as is though.
SmugMug Technical Account Manager
Travel = good. Woo, shooting!
nickwphoto
I'm caught
It would have been nicer with the clouds but unfortunately they wouldn't co-operate and stayed out of the frame. I was quite put out and am busy searching for the email address of the cloud control person so I can complain.
Seriously, it was astonishing how quickly the light changed as the sun rose. There was a small window where the light was really nice then daybreak and fun over. I have never tried to capture a sunrise before but I will make a point of doing it again.
Thanks again for your help with the other thread
Seamus.
ps, I snuck an entry into the challenge thread also. I can make a square peg go into a round hole, I just need a sledgehammer.
SmugMug Technical Account Manager
Travel = good. Woo, shooting!
nickwphoto
Hope all is well for you. It looks like Ft. Meyers will be the "winner" which is a shame because they got hit so hard there last year. I shot at Sanibel last Nov. and they still hadn't recovered.
I'm lucky at the wetlands because all the egrets come together at sunset to roost for the night. You hit the light right and you can get some spectacular shots.
http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
Yes Harry, I did "take a look here" - so beautiful like most of these entries but it was too late to delete my little flying dogs.
I'm not sure if they even meet the "in context" criteria - it was hard to find shots showing extra jumps plus the timing steward in the background to show it is organised or structured and not just a one-off jump snapshot. For a better idea of the competition I've put some startline and boxturn shots in the Sporting Goods thread.
As Ginger sometimes says, we're never really sure where our dog shots belong.
http://www.sherbrookephotography.smugmug.com
Why would you want to delete that fine pic?
This was the type of shot I was thinking about when I came up with the assignment. This was about composition not about the type of "wildlife:. It meets the context criteria just fine.
I like the shots a lot especially the first shot.
I think your dog shots can be posted in a number of forums here, Wildlife, Cool shots, Sports, etc. Never be apologetic about your shots they are as valid as anyone elses. If some grump, like myself, isn't crazy about cute pet pics, tough!
http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
Didn't get any pics as the birds flew the coop long before things got nasty. Still looking for a better shot for the assignment. Just need to get out of the backyard. :uhoh
MM
"Osprey Whisperer"
OspreyWhisperer.com
but they made me give it back.
Welcome back Mike. Glad you are well and the damage is minimal. We made out ok, never lost power and the only damage was a few newly planted trees were knocked down. I got the trees back up and we are as good as we were pre-Wilma.
Our birdlife seems to have made it through OK. I saw a couple of egrets flying and an osprey flew over as I was working on the trees.
http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
Hey Ginger,
I really liked this shot
I like the comp and the colors in the shot. You really get a feel for the surroundings.
http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
Cheers
MM
"Osprey Whisperer"
OspreyWhisperer.com
I like the comp on this shot
Its very effective to have the osprey coming out of the right hand corner. The portrait orientation works well also. The colors in the shot are good also. I might have tried getting a little more detail out of the osprey in my post work.
http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
I like both your pics PossumCorner but I really like the pose on the second. s/he looks like s/he should be flying in that pose, not jumping. I think any post is better than no post and yours fits in just fine. Now I on the other hand don't have squat yet:cry . I think I may try again in the morning since I won't get off of work until 5AM
SmugMug Technical Account Manager
Travel = good. Woo, shooting!
nickwphoto
I went out on my patio a few nights ago and saw this shape on the corne rof my pool enclosure. I put the flashlight on the shape and turned out to be this big owl just sitting there.
http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
So did you flash him? J/K a flash in the night to an owl would probably blind it.
Here is a question to anyone trying to get shots for the asignment:
What length lens are you all using?
I think I could get away with my 70-200IS but have also been out with my 28-135. The spots where I go aren't really very open so I don't think I would have to go under 50mm. I've even got my spot picked out I want a shot at but the birds have not been very cooperative yet.
SmugMug Technical Account Manager
Travel = good. Woo, shooting!
nickwphoto
Both of my shots were shot at less than 90mm (89 & 85). I used my 24-120VR for the first shot and my 80-400 for te second.
http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
I like how the sun is not centered. I would have gone with less sky myself in the shot. I was going to recommened a sensor cleaning but I think those specks are really birds.
Seriously its a pretty shot with great colors. I would have liked the birds in a tad closer though.
http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
Yeah, a tad closer, maybe they are really flyball dogs!
Love them dogs! I "know" agility dogs, love dogs who, Harry, hear this, WORK!
Love the child, too. Children are great anywhere: almost.
ginger
I am also bored silly.
Harry, that shot you like, the one of the pelicans to the leftish, it is a "desperation" shot, absolutely nothing to photograph.........
Funny how those can be the best shots. I think it was Ben who said to put it up. And the sailboat was super desperation, the one you remarked on. It was as I turned to the left, towards "land". I waited two hours, or more, for an egret to fly. Anything that moved, such as those "great" shots got my attention.
That is Moore's Landing (it has a new name, but that is what it is), it is the edge of the world in my opinion. One can take a boat, now it is a new bigger one on a new and bigger dock, but in the 80s, one could do the same......take a boat past all those flat looking nothing spaces with water all around, to a barrier island, no cars, have to be off by 4:00 PM, by same boat.
It is just a lovely, lovely flat piece of fairly pristine marsh, water, small flat islands, birds, etc........... The boat costs more now, and the walk around the island is long. I did it in the 80s. I would love to just go on the boat......
For free!
As it is, I can stand there and show you all a piece of paradise!
That photo of the trees and the pelicans, Harry, that is the highest thing around as one looks "out".
I shoot with my 400mm for this assignment. For the most part, I can't get any closer to the birds than that. Plus, I am used to that lens, plus, I can show what my eye settles on when I "see" the birds. (Unless they are too far in the air, but there is a before and after when something shows, for the most part.)
Or, it might be that my birds are further than your birds. This is a photo of where I shoot. I will come back after uploading it to smugmug. Maybe you can get an idea of why I would be using a 400......
g