Thanks for having a look. I think you are right. I'm on my iPad at the moment but will have a better look on the big screen later.
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Photo of the Day: April 2014
- Thread starter MCH-1138
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Thanks for having a look. I think you are right. I'm on my iPad at the moment but will have a better look on the big screen later.
I browsed through your photos on Flickr and I must say your work is incredible.
Thanks. Really happy to hear that. I'll admit to a certain element of fortune working in my favor for most of my animal shots. My wife is the education curator at a small privately owned zoo, so I practically have access to neat animals to photograph anytime I want.
Shot using a 300/4 and a 2x extender . Just to see what would happen .
5D2 , 300f4 + 2X extender , f11@1/750 , ISO 200
5D2 , 300f4 + 2X extender , f11@1/750 , ISO 200
Hummingbird (2238) by MCH-1138, on Flickr
D7000 Tokina 50-135mm f/2.8 @ 135mm 1/250 @ f/11 3 Speedlights
Hummingbird (2238) by MCH-1138, on Flickr
D7000 Tokina 50-135mm f/2.8 @ 135mm 1/250 @ f/11 3 Speedlights
Winner!
Thank you very much MCH-1138 and Parkin Pig.
The next challenge I've set for myself is to capture a swallow in flight. -------------
Contrary to my comment about photographing blooms and blossoms in direct sun
This is probably rhetorical, but do you use post-processing to isolate the hummingbird from the original photograph and create a new picture on a digitized white background, or is your set-up already using a white board/cloth as the background?
I've been creeping on this thread for a while and have always wondered how your wildlife photographs turn out so well.
Thanks,
B.
Looking forward to these! Will they be African or European swallows?
Thanks, fcortese!
Thanks, Beastman. The last two photos were against a white foamcore backdrop that was lit by one of the speedlights. The basic setup and technique is similar to what is described in this article on the Strobist website. I did clone the feeder out in post on these two.
The other photos (including those with the black backgrounds) have been against the existing background, without any backdrop screen. None have been photoshopped onto a new background image.
So I think I'll just outsource my PP to you! I think mine is too overexposed as well for sure. Revisited the set and did a little less work to this one. Hopefully it works better. I like this shot, but the tree stump is a little to close to the edge for me, but oh well. Comments always appreciated of course.
20140425-_DSC1809 by apple fanboy1, on Flickr----------
I like the repetition in this one, but with the odd 'model' turned round. Creative as ever.
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Do any of your 'victims' ever object to having their photo taken? Your sneaky commute shots must get noticed.
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Looking forward to these! Will they be African or European swallows?
Thanks, fcortese!
Thanks, Beastman. The last two photos were against a white foamcore backdrop that was lit by one of the speedlights. The basic setup and technique is similar to what is described in this article on the Strobist website. I did clone the feeder out in post on these two.
The other photos (including those with the black backgrounds) have been against the existing background, without any backdrop screen. None have been photoshopped onto a new background image.
Thanks for the links. Very interesting article. Well done for being creative and getting the shot right in camera rather than reaching for photoshop.
Freedom tower
Going through some older pics to print them and frame them for home. Reviewing some of my B&W pics, I'm getting into a "starker" conversion mode where I favor bright whites and dark blacks even if it doesn't look natural to the scene when I shot it. Might be a phase I have to go through, but before I start printing/framing (and spending the money involved) I would be interested in the opinions of others. Obviously, opinions will vary and it ultimately comes down to what I personally prefer. But objective opinions have merit.
I posted a more "natural" version of this in the POTD thread last year. Thoughts on whether this version is pleasing or just looks too processed would be appreciated.
Going through some older pics to print them and frame them for home. Reviewing some of my B&W pics, I'm getting into a "starker" conversion mode where I favor bright whites and dark blacks even if it doesn't look natural to the scene when I shot it. Might be a phase I have to go through, but before I start printing/framing (and spending the money involved) I would be interested in the opinions of others. Obviously, opinions will vary and it ultimately comes down to what I personally prefer. But objective opinions have merit.
I posted a more "natural" version of this in the POTD thread last year. Thoughts on whether this version is pleasing or just looks too processed would be appreciated.
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I prefer the dark blacks to the brighter whites to be honest. The sun is just to bright in the frame. However overall I like the shot.
I'm not sure if there is a way to make this appear at say only 800px high on this forum? Apologies in advance if this is too big, it's the only size I can link from, as you don't have options of sizes on the 365 Project.
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Personally, I love this type of strong graphic finish and it's something I play with whenever I have the opportunity. Not that I share much of it! I will echo AFB's comment about the blown out bits, but apart from that it's good. One thing you will notice in fine art photographers works, who do this style, they don't actually have blown out bits as it will be blank paper when printed and looks pretty bad in those sections of the image.
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I posted a more "natural" version of this in the POTD thread last year. Thoughts on whether this version is pleasing or just looks too processed would be appreciated.
Personally, I love this type of strong graphic finish and it's something I play with whenever I have the opportunity. Not that I share much of it! I will echo AFB's comment about the blown out bits, but apart from that it's good. One thing you will notice in fine art photographers works, who do this style, they don't actually have blown out bits as it will be blank paper when printed and looks pretty bad in those sections of the image.
Photo of the Day: April 2014
No-one has complained so far and I don't know whether that's because I'm successfully covert in my shooting or because I'm 6'1", built like a brick outhouse and look a bit unapproachable. I'd like to think it's the former It also helps when I use my X100 as it's totally silent because of the leaf shutter.
I do try to be really discrete when I'm taking the shot and if they spot me doing so I'll chimp for a while and then recompose the shot just to the left or right of them so it looks like they were getting in the way of what I wanted to be taking a photo of. I love the thrill of being caught - it's what makes street photography so appealing to me. It's kind of voyeuristic.
London on business again tomorrow so stalking outfit at the ready.
I love it! Very dramatic and moody.
No-one has complained so far and I don't know whether that's because I'm successfully covert in my shooting or because I'm 6'1", built like a brick outhouse and look a bit unapproachable. I'd like to think it's the former
It also helps when I use my X100 as it's totally silent because of the leaf shutter. I do try to be really discrete when I'm taking the shot and if they spot me doing so I'll chimp for a while and then recompose the shot just to the left or right of them so it looks like they were getting in the way of what I wanted to be taking a photo of. I love the thrill of being caught - it's what makes street photography so appealing to me. It's kind of voyeuristic.
London on business again tomorrow so stalking outfit at the ready.
I love it! Very dramatic and moody.
I haven't seen that older iteration, but this composition is an absolutely stunning image and the contrasty silver black and white scheme definitely becomes it!!
bravo!
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I like to be helpful when I have the time.
I think there's merit to be had from getting things right in-camera, and also for putting things right in PP. I see nothing wrong in pushing boundaries in PP, although it is all too easy to overdo things. IMO you've struck a good balance in your shot. It's clear that you've gone for a dramatic effect, but not gone overboard (if you'll excuse the boating pun).
Sometimes we can't be in the right place at the right time, as was the case when I visited Angkor Wat at sunrise a couple of years ago. The sunrise didn't bring the sort of coloration I was hoping for, so I tweaked it in PP.
Angkor Wat by Parkin Pig, on FlickrI love how this photo has it's own natural 'frame'.
*Huge* thanks for all the replies. Very, very much appreciated.
Here is the untouched original. I underexposed it knowing that the sun on the building would blow out the highlights and also knowing I could bring up the shadows in post.
The highlights on the freedom tower are still blown. Was worried at the time that if I exposed for the reflection I wouldn't be able to recover enough shadow detail in the rest of the pic. Possible I erred, but I think this was a good compromise (have to see how it looks as a print though).
I've been "conservative" in my B&W conversions in the past, but am currently favoring a more "dramatic" treatment. This was actually shot in B&W, so not really a conversion....
Have been using a 35mm lens for the past several years, but noticed that I always end up cropping in post. Recently switched to a 50mm lens which I think is closer to how I see the world when I shoot.
Here is the untouched original. I underexposed it knowing that the sun on the building would blow out the highlights and also knowing I could bring up the shadows in post.
The highlights on the freedom tower are still blown. Was worried at the time that if I exposed for the reflection I wouldn't be able to recover enough shadow detail in the rest of the pic. Possible I erred, but I think this was a good compromise (have to see how it looks as a print though).
I've been "conservative" in my B&W conversions in the past, but am currently favoring a more "dramatic" treatment. This was actually shot in B&W, so not really a conversion....
Have been using a 35mm lens for the past several years, but noticed that I always end up cropping in post. Recently switched to a 50mm lens which I think is closer to how I see the world when I shoot.
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