Project 52 by Rebecca Humphries

[beckyhumphries]

Apologies for a late week 6; weather here has been terrible for the last 3 weekends and today was the first sunny day where I could get out with the camera.

I have a bit of a thing about trying to get robin pictures, as they always seem to be around but I never manage to get any nice shots of them. This was one I came across today in a wildlife centre that was having a drink from the little stream.

Any comments much appreciated.


f/5.6, 1/160sec, ISO640, 600mm (35mm equivalent), -0.7step exposure

[Goldcoastgolfer]

I think the Robin looks good, particularly given your shutter speed. I always find these smaller birds move so fast that I have to have my shutter speed right up to make sure I don't get motion blur.

Composition wise, nicely framed but there's a twig in the background looks like it leads into the robin's head that you may want to consider cloning out. I might try turning down the greens a little, particularly the ones in the foreground like the one in the bottom right corner as I do find they're competing a little bit for attention.

[Wendy Stanford]

Hi Becky, I like the image, good focus on the robin, what a lovely colour the bird is, good composition with the bird off centre looking into the space, my only pick is the leaf/twig on the rock between the birds legs.
Great capture

[Donald]

I agree with the comments made above re the week 6 image of the robin. Having pointed the camera at one once, I admire anyone for just getting the capture. I found that they just jump about so much. I prefer trees and walls and things that don't move so much.

There's a lovely clarity in this one, with the bird really 'popping' in the image.

[beckyhumphries]

Thanks for your comments, I agree the background is very messy, I didn't know where to start with cloning so I gave up completely! I have just had another go but the background is so varied I struggled to get it to 'blend in'. Here is another shot I found easier to PP although I think this otter may need a manicure!

[beckyhumphries]

Trying to catch up with my missing weeks! Here is an otter from this weekend just gone.


f/5.6, iso800, 1/30sec, 600mm (35mm equivalent), 0 step exposure

[Geoff F]

Yes, a much more subdued shot which shows better detail.

[Donald]

Here is an otter from this weekend just gone.

Good grief. How did you get that? Wonderful.

I've been trying see one all my life and failed miserably.

[PBelarge]

I love the last image of the gray ottor. The coloring of the ottor, his stance and the fur is wonderful. I like how you have composed him in the frame. I am a little distracted by his whiskers. The one going across the ear on the left side of the image and the one curling up around his head to the right side of the image, I would clone those.

[Dave Humphries]

Hi Rebecca,

Any comments much appreciated.


f/5.6, 1/160sec, ISO640, 600mm (35mm equivalent), -0.7step exposure

You're improving on PP, and it is difficult when faced with a fairly busy image to see what's worth messing with (cloning, blurring or burning) or leaving alone, but yes; I would have cloned out the bright foreground twig between the legs and the ones coming out of his/her head as Wendy and Mal have suggested.

Personally I don't mind the lush greens, they are that way because they're in a stream and, how shall we say, 'well watered'.

Must do my week 6, you had the preview last night, but I still haven't done it

Cheers,

[Goldcoastgolfer]

Trying to catch up with my missing weeks! Here is an otter from this weekend just gone.


f/5.6, iso800, 1/30sec, 600mm (35mm equivalent), 0 step exposure

Very well capture. Did you shoot on a tripod? It looks very sharp for that focal length and shutter speed.

[beckyhumphries]

Hi Donald. I have to admit this wasn't a wild otter, as I took the shot at a wildlife sanctuary in the Peak District that had lots of free roaming otters. It was a great opportunity to get a picture of something that I wouldn't normally see out in the wild.

Hi Mal. No I didn't use a tripod, I shot it free-hand. I'm just getting used to the new camera (Panasonic GH2) and so far am very impressed when I'm using the long lens how sharp the pictures are coming out. I never had image stabilisation before so it is a novelty to me

Thanks for the comments.

Rebecca

[Goldcoastgolfer]

Hi Mal. No I didn't use a tripod, I shot it free-hand. I'm just getting used to the new camera (Panasonic GH2) and so far am very impressed when I'm using the long lens how sharp the pictures are coming out. I never had image stabilisation before so it is a novelty to me

Rebecca

In that case it's even more impressive!

[beckyhumphries]

This week I visited Gauntlet Birds of Prey Centre with my dad. I'm afraid no luck with the flying shots, I must practice some more how to focus and pan at the same time. Maybe with some seagulls as I'll have more opportunities and can spend a few hours improving my technique. Here are three birds we saw on the day, though I am starting to notice my tendency towards head shots with animals. All comments much appreciated.


f/5, iso1000, 1/400sec, 410mm, -0.3exposure


f/5, iso1000, 1/1600sec, 420mm, 0exposure


f/4.6, iso200, 1/3200sec, 324mm, -0.3exposure

[Geoff F]

Good shots with plenty of feather detail.

[ScoutR]

Great shots Rebecca. You are doing some wonderful wildlife shots. I especially like the grey otter, but wish his hindquarters were not chopped off.

The pose on the robin is very cute and I like it but agree about the background although i know how hard it is to get a bird to sit still somewhere with a nice photogenic background.

Of the last 3 shots, I like the last one. Showing the whole body shows me the strength in the legs and talons of this bird and the look and the pose really show his character.

The other 2 shots are great too, but I'm not so sure about the crop. To my eye I think I would rather see a tighter head crop Or have the whole body.

Beautiful birds, and great shots focus exposure and detail look pretty good to me. I know I'd be pleased with them

Wendy

[Goldcoastgolfer]

Excellent shots Becky. I think the head shots just help to capture their personalities a bit more.

Good luck with the flying captures

[Dave Humphries]

Hi Rebecca,

Is there a reason for making them this small (now you have a better camera)?

I think the head shots would be more impressive if they filled the screen more - when you downsize; any chance of making them 1000px tall?

Did you do anything with the backgrounds on these the first two? (e.g. blur them more? or is that how they came out?)

I must do mine, I'm quite pleased with some of my flying ones, but still 3/4 were 'bin fodder' - it is practice and a dollop of luck on occasions, but seagulls I find particularly difficult if they are not just gliding.

We didn't do any PP this weekend, did we?
So I never 'converted' you to shoot RAW, did I?

Well done,

[beckyhumphries]

Is there a reason for making them this small (now you have a better camera)?

I think the head shots would be more impressive if they filled the screen more - when you downsize; any chance of making them 1000px tall?

Did you do anything with the backgrounds on these the first two? (e.g. blur them more? or is that how they came out?)

Hi,

Currently I open them in Photoshop then re-save using quality 9, 1.0M size, format option 'baseline' standard. Then I upload them to Picasa in order to right click and copy the image url to post on the forum. Do you know which of these stages I can alter in order to increase the image size?

I did play around with the backgrounds a bit, toning down bright distracting colours and cloning out the odd fence in the background.

Yes I must switch over to RAW in the camera settings next time I shoot.

Thanks,

Rebecca

[beckyhumphries]

This week I got the chance to have ago at some macro shots. My dad kindly got me an adaptor for my Panasonic GH2 so that I could borrow one of his Nikon macro lenses. These photos were both shot on the dining room table with three lights for lighting and using a tripod. Manual focusing was something I haven't tried before but hopefully I am starting to get the hang of it now.


ISO160, 1/16sec, f/22


ISO160, 1/10sec, f/22

All comments much appreciated, thanks.

Rebecca