Bob Latham
New member
The five fledglings were being fed by their mother who would fly by and hover with her offering whilst they waited in safety.
Bob
Bob
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Fledglings: A few more Goldcrests for Charlotte
- Thread starter Bob Latham
- Start date
Charlotte Thompson
Well-known member
OMG!
you are such a sweet sweet heart
but it shows in your shots!
I had to come back and see your work again and then to see you gave me a beautiful present!!
the most precious pictures of little baby precious things ever!!
Look at their sweet little soft heads and eyes-down feathers-
OH thank you! so much
that first picture with the baby and his head turned to you is so priceless-
what a gift of sight you have
thank you again!
Charlotte-
you are such a sweet sweet heart
but it shows in your shots!
I had to come back and see your work again and then to see you gave me a beautiful present!!
the most precious pictures of little baby precious things ever!!
Look at their sweet little soft heads and eyes-down feathers-
OH thank you! so much
that first picture with the baby and his head turned to you is so priceless-
what a gift of sight you have
thank you again!
Charlotte-
doug anderson
New member
Great shooting. Very sharp, sensitive shots.
What lens?
What lens?
Edward Bussa
Member
Very nice Bob!
I really like the sharpening job you did in the first two - impressive.
As the bird feathers become apparently larger in the second two, I didn't like the effect as much. The two pictures with the birds slightly smaller work better for me.
Just some thoughts!
Take care, Ed.
I really like the sharpening job you did in the first two - impressive.
As the bird feathers become apparently larger in the second two, I didn't like the effect as much. The two pictures with the birds slightly smaller work better for me.
Just some thoughts!
Take care, Ed.
Asher Kelman
OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
© Bob Latham
Bob,
I do not agree with Ed about likening the sharpening at all, on this! but I'm not at all sure. If the feathers were not dry, then I might feel differently but I do not know for sure. So how did this image look without sharpening. I'm concerned that the feathers are over-sharpened or perhaps more than the luminous channel was sharpened. I'm sticking my neck out since I don't really know the way these particular feathers reflect light. Maybe there's some refraction too. In any case, I'd love to hear your thoughts!
Asher
I tend to agree with Asher on the sharpening, and should have included that in my initial comments. I do a lot of work with birds, and have found that it is very easy to oversharpen feathers, which gives them a hard-edged, harsh appearance. This is seen to some degree on the wing feathers on the 2nd bird from the right.
In general, I have learned to back off on my sharpening in general, but especially when there's a lot of fine details, such as feathers, hair, fur, etc.
In general, I have learned to back off on my sharpening in general, but especially when there's a lot of fine details, such as feathers, hair, fur, etc.
Edward Bussa
Member
Right, I don't know if I would make the same decision in my own image with my own sharpening, but my initial reaction was that it worked for the first two, but not the second two ... for here, the web.
Bob Latham
New member
I really appreciate the ctitique here folks. These shots were posted on a UK photography forum and a bird forum and were received favourably on both. There's a real danger that the "cuteness" factor blinds people to the technical aspects and they don't look any further (in most cases, anyway). My own take, having been jolted into re-assessing these, is that the tighter crops should have had less sharpening applied...maybe I could have avoided some of the sharpening after the images were re-sized to 800px.
I'll revisit the processing here and also try some 10x8 prints to see how they stand up in that respect. One of the reasons I joined OPF was that the technical aspects are as important (or more important) than the subject matter and this kind of feedback will help me achieve superior results....hopefully!
Bob
I'll revisit the processing here and also try some 10x8 prints to see how they stand up in that respect. One of the reasons I joined OPF was that the technical aspects are as important (or more important) than the subject matter and this kind of feedback will help me achieve superior results....hopefully!
Bob
Cem_Usakligil
Well-known member
Hi Bob,
Why don't we leave it at "as important" rather than "more important"? Because I have the personal illusion that we talk about three aspects of pictures: content, photography and technique. See my longish post here. Of all three, technique comes last in my book in the sense that if the first two are bad, technique alone cannot save the picture. As a corrollary, if the technique is bad it can break the first two even if they are very good. So equally important, it is then!
Cheers,
Cem_Usakligil
Well-known member
Hi Bob,
When I was scrutinizing these otherwise lovely pictures for sharpening issues, I have realized that you may have a back focussing issue on the second and the third ones. Where did you focus on in these frames? Did you pre focus and recompose?
Cheers,
When I was scrutinizing these otherwise lovely pictures for sharpening issues, I have realized that you may have a back focussing issue on the second and the third ones. Where did you focus on in these frames? Did you pre focus and recompose?
Cheers,
Bob Latham
New member
Cem,
Interesting one....and on that I checked out myself with this lens. On a test chart it was fine but I always had concerns that it wasn't spot on and never gave the results that the 400/5.6 did. I sold the lens (to a Dutchman!) after he'd borrowed it for a week to assess it. My intention was to get a 300/2.8 to replace it but the deal fell through and I bought another copy of the 300/4 as I figured that I'd miss the close focus ability. An f/2.8 is still pending when a suitable copy comes onto the market.
I've told people on several occasions that the 300/4 + 1.4x T/C gets the most use but it's the 400/5.6 that has the sun tan.....UK light frequently means that the IS is a big benefit but the 400/5.6 gives the best results when the light's good.
Back to your question....focus on the 2nd shot was on the nearest bird's head and on the head of the lefthand bird on the 3rd shot. The subjects were far enough away that focus-recompose wasn't required as the frame would be done in PP.
Bob
Asher Kelman
OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
I rediscovered this work by Bob and felt we could see how many different sets of fledglings we might be able to gather.
So there's the challenge!
Asher
So there's the challenge!
Asher
Bob Latham
New member
I love the owl set, Doug. I find that larger birds seem to connect with the camera (ie, they look down the lens) as in your shots whereas smaller birds don't often share that interaction and just go about their business oblivious to the photographer's attention.
Bob
Bob
Doug Kerr
Well-known member
From 2007-2012 we lived in Weatherford, Texas, about 30 miles west of Fort Worth. There was a large barn swallow community in the area, and they built a fabulous mud nest on the back wall of our home just up under the patio roof. Each year, when they returned from their winter visit to South America, they came back and refurbished and improved the nest. We really enjoyed following the lives of these families.
Here one of the first brood we followed (2009) announces that it is lunchtime where he is:
Douglas A. Kerr: Well, it's lunchtime here
Three of the gang a bit later:
Douglas A. Kerr: Three stooges
Here are the eggs from the second brood of 2009:
Douglas A. Kerr: Three in the oven
Best regards,
Doug
Here one of the first brood we followed (2009) announces that it is lunchtime where he is:
Douglas A. Kerr: Well, it's lunchtime here
Three of the gang a bit later:
Douglas A. Kerr: Three stooges
Here are the eggs from the second brood of 2009:
Douglas A. Kerr: Three in the oven
Best regards,
Doug
Doug Kerr
Well-known member
Here are the little guys from the first 2010 brood having a comfy nap:
Douglas A. Kerr: Nap time
Douglas A. Kerr: These Americans all look the same
Here one of them has made his first flight, to a blade of the patio ceiling fan
Douglas A. Kerr: Well, I got this far - what now?
Douglas A. Kerr: Mom says run up the engine first
Here he's a little bigger
Douglas A. Kerr: Have a snack before you head out on a real trip
Best regards,
Doug
Douglas A. Kerr: Nap time
Douglas A. Kerr: These Americans all look the same
Here one of them has made his first flight, to a blade of the patio ceiling fan
Douglas A. Kerr: Well, I got this far - what now?
Douglas A. Kerr: Mom says run up the engine first
Here he's a little bigger
Douglas A. Kerr: Have a snack before you head out on a real trip
Best regards,
Doug
Doug Kerr
Well-known member
From the second brood of 2010:
Douglas A. Kerr: Just hatched
But they already know how to call for lunch.
That was shot with a Canon Powershot SX110 IS, tethered.
Douglas A. Kerr: The gang
Douglas A. Kerr: This is picture!
Douglas A. Kerr: You guys ready to head out?
Douglas A. Kerr: What a configuration!
Best regards,
Doug
Douglas A. Kerr: Just hatched
But they already know how to call for lunch.
That was shot with a Canon Powershot SX110 IS, tethered.
Douglas A. Kerr: The gang
Douglas A. Kerr: This is picture!
Douglas A. Kerr: You guys ready to head out?
Douglas A. Kerr: What a configuration!
Best regards,
Doug
Bob Latham
New member
Barn swallows are always a sure sign that the weather is on the up, Doug. Our pair arrived to repossess their nest last week and seem to be going through the "clean and prep" phase at the moment.
A nice record you have there.
Bob
A nice record you have there.
Bob