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Over the last couple days I have tried taking a variety of styles of nature type shots. I've tried doing some PP. Let me know if I have adjusted well/in an appealing way, and if the shots themselves are any good.

Shot of a pink rose.



Shot of some frangipanis against the flare of the sun.


Depth of field fun.


This was a bit of an experiment to try and silouette some foilage against the sun. I ended up with a glow that I sort of liked.


Some leaves.


A Cuckoo. I know I framed it wrong, and ended up cutting off its tail. But I like the pose I managed to get. if only I could have gotten in front of it, so the branch wasn't in the way.


let me know what you think.

Some really nice shots here Nathan.

#1 Nicely done the little flare in the bottom right is a little distracting.. I'd suggest maybe cloning it out...

#2 Good experiementation, but to be honest it doesn't really work for me...

#3 I prefer this to #2, you've used the foreground OOF area to nicely frame your infocus subject.

#4 Silouette is nice and with the glow makes a somewhat surreal / abstract kind of photo

#5 This is one of my favourites, love the green tones and the layers in this shot.

#6 The bird shot isn't technically great, but I feel it's still a good capture... some of your other bird shots you've shown me have higher technical merit but don't have the sense of malice almost this bird portrays.

the little flare in the bottom right is actually a water droplet, but I think it would be best to clone it out. it does stick out.

with #5 I really like this shot. I'm not entirelly sure why though. considering all it is it various layers of leaves.


with the bird, I sort of had to make do with what I had. I would have loved to get up higher, but I was sadly lacking in the ladder department. also, the menacing look this bird is giving, is solely directed at me. I moved around the tree to get the front of him, and he took offense to that. I think I scared off the bird that thought it was his mum, and he was angery at having his dinner interupted.

I find #5 the most appealing.
simple and yet the layers make it powerful.


like the rose too but my eye keeps being drawn to the white OOF stuff at lower right. I would be tempted to clone those out.


steve

Thanks for your comment. I have now created a new version of the rose, and gotten rid of the OOF leaf entirely. Does this make the shot better?
or should I leave in the faded version of the leaf?



I am glad that #5 appeals to others as well. Even though it was a simple picture, it just has something that I like.

yep. the oof stuff missing makes it much better.

steve

#1 is great Graphite. IMO the green OOF leaf bottom right is distracting from an otherwise superbly sharp and elegant image - clone it out and see what you think
cheers
marco

Nathan,

You mentioned cloning out the water dropplets....it seems like you haven't updated you post to reflect the new version of the image...

alpha: they are gone here.

perhaps if you force a reload of the page??

Works fine for me now, without the force reload... perhaps I just jumped the gun a little..

Anyways, Huge improvement Nathan... the opening shot is now silky smooth!

#1, Like this, the color is soft and subdued yet strong enough, enough DOF, nice and sharp, OOF leaf might distract some

#2 Hmmm, not sure on this one, maybe if it was just the single flower spike but seems "busy" to me and I'm not sure of the subject etc...

#3 Good example of DOF fun

#4 hmmm, dunno what to make of this one (the foliage against the sun etc).

#5 Like this, the shadow of the upper leaf on the lower one, against the stark deep blue sky, nice image for me...

#6 The cuckoo, great pose and nice light on the underside of the bird too, I'll let the birding guys comment but sometimes you take what you can get with animals, especially birds...

Cheers.

Mudder - I have gotten rid of the OOF leaf in a version in a previous post of mine, what do you think of the rose now? More appealing?

I'm glad that you liked #5, It is interesting how shots come out, as I really had zero expectations for that shot, yet it seems to be the one that most people like.

I agree with the comment regarding birds. I have fooled around with taking lots of bird shots since getting the camera, and the unfourtunate thing, is they aren't really willing subjects most of the time.

Personally the OOF leaf on the rose didnt bother me.
The only thing that did was the white OOF bit on the leaf because it was completely different from the rest of the image.

The leave being done or there doesnt matter much to me.
In fact I believe that the leaf gives us something else to look at in the shot.

As for bird shots, that isnt easy.
to be really successful you need to learn the habits of what you are after and be prepared to put in the time.

steve