Mum and the kid

[ucci]

Just another shot of a Flyer and her Joey. They paused in their evening feed to check me out as I ambled by, dismissed me as of little account, and returned to their grazing. It is truly a very, very sad thing when even a pair of damn roos dismiss you as being totally insignificant and a non event.

Hopefully, a photographer in posting a shot can do so such that the viewer can get some insight into what it was that motivated the photographer to pause and to frame the shot. If this happens, then it is a truly joyous thing, God smiles, angels sing, saints dance and big bells toll... well, maybe not quite, but the photographer is usually pleased with the outcome response if this unanimity of interpretation occurs. However, this is a rare piece of serendipity. The result in the eyes of viewers is usually like the guy leaving a memorial service and after hearing 20 different eulogies on the deceased, thinks to self, "You know. We buried 20 different people today."

So, to help in the process. Okay, so this is a shot of just another pair of roos, which are as common as a boarding room tart around here. But these two were feeding outside the front gate as it was getting on towards dusk and they paused as I passed to check me out. It was the light and shadows from the setting sun falling on them which caught my attention; and this my rationale for lining up a shot or two.

So, time for me to step back and invite comments. Thank you to all those for viewing and your gentile tolerance of my rambling efforts.

[Shadowman]

Nice capture.

[IzzieK]

This would be nicer cropped as portrait, Ken. Love the backlighting on the mom's ear. This one might be one of those whom you cared for --just showing you her babe.

[Geoff F]

That light angle has reduced the contrast/saturation a little, but I would worry about adding more in case it then looked unnatural or increased noise.

Maybe a crop would strength the scene by removing a little of the background distraction? Possibly a fraction from left side and top?

[ucci]

Maybe a crop would strength the scene by removing a little of the background distraction? Possibly a fraction from left side and top?

Thanks for your incisive comment Geoff. I guess it gets back to the motivation for the shot. Cropping would certainly concentrate attention on the two subjects. And it would then basically be a close up of two cute roos. But lost would what I was after, which was the play of the light on the grass in which two roos happened to be standing, and who added a bit of interest to the overall framing. I wanted to show the roos against their evening environment, where the light was fading and soft, and things were getting a bit 'fuzzy.' For me cropping would negate what I was trying to capture. But each to his own I guess. And maybe I have failed in my intent?

[Geoff F]

I was thinking about a rather slight crop, say 10% at most, which would still retain the majority of lighting on the grass.

[TonyW]

It's always interesting to discuss how much cropping should be done. In this case, you can get at least three different pictures by not cropping further, cropping 10% or cropping closer for a portrait effect. They are all interesting but tell different stories.

My first reaction to seeing this was to note the light gentle colours. My pictures of wallabies here especially in times of low rainfall show grey animals against grey-brown grass.

[ucci]

It's always interesting to discuss how much cropping should be done. In this case, you can get at least three different pictures by not cropping further, cropping 10% or cropping closer for a portrait effect. They are all interesting but tell different stories.

My first reaction to seeing this was to note the light gentle colours. My pictures of wallabies here especially in times of low rainfall show grey animals against grey-brown grass.

Thank you Tony. You have so succinctly made the point I was after. To crop or not to crop? And if so how much and how will it impact on, and change, the original ' story' being captured. IMO cropping should subtly add to the 'original ' story and not re-write it. Am I anti cropping? Of course not. Do it all the time, on an as needs basis; but trying in doing so to ensure that when I do crop I don't come a cropper.

[Stagecoach]

You have done a good job on this one Ken and those expressions on the faces are magic.

I put this into PP to have a play and to see what various different approaches would give out of curiosity and the only thing I could come up with that retained the 'mood' was a slight localised sharpening of the two faces to enhance that stare. As for cropping, a no no.

[bnnrcn]

Lovely pose

[Dave Humphries]

Hi Ken,

When I view this, I don't feel the need to crop, for the reasons you gave.

However, if I had shot this - and admittedly I am pixel peeping - I would remove what I think is some evidence of lateral CA (chromatic aberration) visible on the out of focus grasses on the right side in foreground, because these are adding (admittedly tiny) false colour splodges to the scene.

I would also play with the blacks - my browser histogram add-on suggests the luminance blacks are currently about 20. However, there is a risk if set too low (0), it would lose the ambience of the shot.

Similarly; the wildlife shooter in me wants to see more local contrast and sharpening (applied just to the roos), but the landscape shooter in me worries this may also prove 'too much' if not delicately applied.

Not that I am suggesting you need do anything, just offering my take for the invited comments.

Amusing narrative, as I have come to expect from your good self
Keep on ramblin'

Thanks for sharing, Dave

[ucci]

Hi Dave
I really appreciate your most helpful comments and in depth analysis of colour problems in the post. Thank you for taking the time and effort to do this and feed back your findings. It is with much embarrassment, however, that I have to admit that your level of sophisticated expertise in these matters far transcends my current ability. But it is good to learn and hopefully others will benefit from your advice as well.

[ucci]

I put this into PP to have a play and to see what various different approaches would give out of curiosity and the only thing I could come up with that retained the 'mood' was a slight localised sharpening of the two faces to enhance that stare.

Hi Graheme
I also went back and tried your suggestion. It works for me as well. Thank you.

[deetheturk]

Nice capture Ken!