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[Lava Lamp]

I've posted all these in the nature board over the last two weeks, but would appreciate any thoughts and comments you may have...

[Chunk]

Beautiful work as usual LL. The edges seem kinda hard in some pics, especially the vultures. I don't now if it is boosted contrast or a hard selection.

[Old Timer]

Beautiful work as usual LL. The edges seem kinda hard in some pics, especially the vultures. I don't now if it is boosted contrast or a hard selection.

I agree with Chunk here a little hard around the edges, but beautiful stuff just the same. I have got to start checking the Nature board more often. I had missed all of these and that is a shame they are all very worthy images. Well done.

[GB1]

They almost seem human, like their personalities are showing through. They edges are a tad hard, not sure why.. the top one almost seems like it was cut and paste on a different background (but I dont think it was..), or that it's a stuffed bird. My only wish is that they (the birds) where doing something other than sitting there looking like bird-brains (Lol).

All are extremely sharp. You got real close in here, too. I guess they weren't afraid of you.

GB

[Seb]

I've posted all these in the nature board over the last two weeks, but would appreciate any thoughts and comments you may have...

Hello Lava Lamp,

I am especially drawn by your second picture. It's a definitive winner for me. I find the bird by itself to be especially interesting and the light is very pleasing. The colors on the ground/background complement the birds colors very well. Beside, it's deadly sharp.

The fourth picture is interesting as well (what a funky looking bird!!). It's just too bad that the feet are cut. I like the exposure and the contrast betwen the bird and the dark background. There seems to be some noticeable noise in the background though.

I must say that I am less enthusiastic about the others pictures. I too get that "cut and paste" feeling from the first picture although I am also sure that there were no manipulation and that this is just a lense effect.

The third picture is ok but I am distracted by the missing feet.

I don't like the totally washed out sky in the fifth one (although I guess that it was probably hard to avoid it). The dof seems too shallow as well. Since the branchs are a significant element in your comp, I'd like to have everything in sharp focus.

regards

Seb

[Lava Lamp]

Thanks for all the comments.

About the hard edges -- I got a new (second-hand) monitor not to long ago and have been trying to get my calibration right. This, coupled with the fact that my D70 is starting to produce some erratic exposures, has me Photoshopping the contrast, saturation, and sharpness more than usual. None of these has had any backgrounds replaced or cloned out or recolored or anything like that.

[readingr]

LL these are incredible - what lens do you use for these?

I tried to sneak up on a heron 2 days ago with my 200mm lense - got to about 20ft and just about ready to take a pic when he flew off. Blast. I have to be that close to get a decent picture with a 200mm.

Roger

PS not other critique.

[dbutler]

I think they are all amazing. I, too, wish that the feet weren't cut off on the third and fourth images. I like the washed out sky on the buzzards. They are ugly, harsh birds (my apologies to buzzard lovers) and I think that washed out sky fits in with the harsh birds.


My favorites are the first, second and fourth images because of the luminescence of the eyes. Fabulous captures!

[Lava Lamp]

LL these are incredible - what lens do you use for these?

I tried to sneak up on a heron 2 days ago with my 200mm lense - got to about 20ft and just about ready to take a pic when he flew off. Blast. I have to be that close to get a decent picture with a 200mm.

Roger

PS not other critique.

Thanks. I have been using my D70 and a Sigma 50-500mm, moslty at the 500mm end for nature. I try to stay at ISO 400 and use fill flash (SB800). All these, except the vultures were within about 100 ft of me.

[readingr]

At that distance my 200mm would give me a dot on the horizon - no wonder I find it difficult. LOL

Roger