Please comment..

[Bouk Teef]

I have been experimenting with close up shots recently. I am finding, with the right lighting conditions, fairly good results. I could do with some advice on the best way to present a close up composition. I attached a couple of photos below. Both had to be lightened using a photo tool.
The first is of the plug on my bath. I positioned it directly under the tap in order to get some interesting water shots. The second is an extreeme close up of my cat's eye. Thankfully she stayed still long enough for me to take the shot. The camera used was a Nikon Coolpix 2200.
Thanks in advance for any advice,

Bouk

[Lava Lamp]

I have been experimenting with close up shots recently. I am finding, with the right lighting conditions, fairly good results. I could do with some advice on the best way to present a close up composition. I attached a couple of photos below. Both had to be lightened using a photo tool.
The first is of the plug on my bath. I positioned it directly under the tap in order to get some interesting water shots. The second is an extreeme close up of my cat's eye. Thankfully she stayed still long enough for me to take the shot. The camera used was a Nikon Coolpix 2200.
Thanks in advance for any advice,

Bouk

The first one is kinda neat in sense that it's not a picture you see every day, but I'd like ot see even more macro detail. The shape is a bit blobby and amorphous right now to really hold the viewer's attention, at least in my opinion.

The second is more interesting, I'd turn and crop it a little to get the eye along the diagonal of the frame and up to the right a little. Again, just my humble opinion.

[Bouk Teef]

Hi Lava,
thanks for the comments.
I've taken your advice and tried the crop you suggested. I've also adjusted the levels slightly (becoming a bit better in PS!). What do you think, does it add to the composition?

[natatbeach]

I have been experimenting with close up shots recently. I am finding, with the right lighting conditions, fairly good results. I could do with some advice on the best way to present a close up composition. I attached a couple of photos below. Both had to be lightened using a photo tool.
The first is of the plug on my bath. I positioned it directly under the tap in order to get some interesting water shots. The second is an extreeme close up of my cat's eye. Thankfully she stayed still long enough for me to take the shot. The camera used was a Nikon Coolpix 2200.
Thanks in advance for any advice,

Bouk

Water to me should be crisp and sharp..I like the concept I love the way you got the droplets frozen...but the first thing I thought was BW--- without the color you start to reconsider(at least in my brain) whether it's water glass, ice,etc) in color my brain says it's a spout with water...I played in PS and converted it to BW hope you don't mind to show you what I mean...

the cat's eye---if you could step back a bit and then crop in it might work to keep all areas in focus. I really thought ity was a dog or wolf or something...pretty cool...

[gahspidy]

Hello Bouk,
The second post of your cats eye is an improvement and not a bad shot. I think what could help that shot would be a sharper image. It is sharp somewhat but the composition with that cloes up is calling out for some incredible detail. You might try some unsharp mask and some selective highlighting to bring out the eye more.
The water drain shot is a very good idea and what Natalie has done has helped it tremendously. It looks great in b&w and very crisp with the droplets almost sparkling like crystal. Good composition.

[Bouk Teef]

Of course I don't mind Natalie! I like your perspective on the photo. Originally I hadn't taken some of the technical aspects into consideration (WB lighting etc..) so the pic has been heavily minipulated in PS. At some point I am going to shoot the photo again as it is lacking some of the crispness of the original effort.
With regards to the eye: maybe I should have said it was a wild wolf's eye instead of my pussy cat! At least if the photo was lacking the bravery of the photographer couldn't be questioned!

Regards

Keith

[greg hxc]

The second shot is great! Shooting in so close completely threw off my sense of scale; you could have told me this was a huge cat in the wild and I would have believed it in a second.

I like the water shot a lot too and agree than it benefits from the B&W conversion.

[shesells]

I love water shots like this one, I've tried a few but they suck. lol what settings did you use? I do like the black and white but then If it was sharper, I would like the color because of the way water and metal pick up tiny specs of it and magnify it. Put some sparkly things where they can reflect in it. It's good as it is though, but if it needs too much manipulation, might be easier to just shoot it again, but then, you'd have to clean the tub again.

The cat pic rules. good close up and angle. You can see every hair. how did you get her to sit still for that? She has wonderful eyes.
Kit

[Bouk Teef]

I love water shots like this one, I've tried a few but they suck. lol what settings did you use? I do like the black and white but then If it was sharper, I would like the color because of the way water and metal pick up tiny specs of it and magnify it. Put some sparkly things where they can reflect in it. It's good as it is though, but if it needs too much manipulation, might be easier to just shoot it again, but then, you'd have to clean the tub again.

The cat pic rules. good close up and angle. You can see every hair. how did you get her to sit still for that? She has wonderful eyes.
Kit

Thats for the comments Kit. I used a Nikon Coolpix 2200 set in macro mode so there's not much chance of changing any of the settings apart from EV compensation and WB. The settings were as follows - ISO 50, exposure 1/60sec and F/5.6. I'm hoping to invest in a Canon 300D but am still doing a bit of research on the camera.
Thankfully she is a very relaxed cat and is happy being around people poking cameras in her face!! I'm going to visit the water pic and reshoot now that I have a better understanding of what I'm looking for. I'll post the result if it's any good!
Here is a further pic of the cat snooping about a flower.

[shesells]

Here is a further pic of the cat snooping about a flower.

Just Awwww!! oooohhh !``ahhhh~~ oooo!~!~! and awwwwww again!