Am I missing a skill or are tiny tree frogs really hard to focus on?

[JBW]

[Stagecoach]

Brian, what do you mean by "really hard to focus on"?

[Wavelength]

I see no focus problem...excellent

[JBW]

Brian, what do you mean by "really hard to focus on"?

I mean this frog looks sleepy and soft rather than sharply focused.

[Stagecoach]

I mean this frog looks sleepy and soft rather than sharply focused.

I would disagree with that Brian.

It is sharply focused, if you look at the front leg below the eye, the eye front 'slot' and the saw tooth edge of the leaf blade.

What it does have is a limited DoF that is giving the softness forward and rear of the narrow focal plane. If I open this image in PS it also appears sharper, which I find is quite common with my images also.

If it were mine I would give it another sharpen but mask and brush it so as not to over sharpen any edges.

Oh yes, it's a good capture

[JBW]

I would disagree with that Brian.

It is sharply focused, if you look at the front leg below the eye, the eye front 'slot' and the saw tooth edge of the leaf blade.

What it does have is a limited DoF that is giving the softness forward and rear of the narrow focal plane. If I open this image in PS it also appears sharper, which I find is quite common with my images also.

If it were mine I would give it another sharpen but mask and brush it so as not to over sharpen any edges.

Oh yes, it's a good capture

mask & brush?

[kalyt]

Hi Brian

I think it's a excellent shoot. I think it's sharp enough, it helps setting the mood. But what really strikes me, is the colors. I think they are amazing :-)

[JBW]

Hi Brian

I think it's a excellent shoot. I think it's sharp enough, it helps setting the mood. But what really strikes me, is the colors. I think they are amazing :-)

the frog has great colouring. The Tamron 90mm macro lens allows me to create gorgeous bg's. Capture 1 Sony Pro is a fine RAW pp.

[Stagecoach]

mask & brush?

One of a number of methods for applying localised sharpening Brian, as opposed to global sharpening.

As an example, typical when your subject has a round eye that has a fair depth to it often you will get the front or back in focus more (due to the shallow DoF) than the rear or front respectively. Additional sharpening (localised) could be used just around the eye plane that is less sharp to help accentuate it overall. You can also select odd bits of the subject to help accentuate them, being wary of edges (halos).

To do this I use an additional layer and apply sharpening globally. I then add a mask, fill it in with black, to block all the additional sharpening. I then carefully use a white soft edge brush to remove the masking (black) exactly where I want the additional sharpening. Using this method it's easy to alter anything you have done plus adjust overall opacity of the layer if required.

[JBW]

One of a number of methods for applying localised sharpening Brian, as opposed to global sharpening.

As an example, typical when your subject has a round eye that has a fair depth to it often you will get the front or back in focus more (due to the shallow DoF) than the rear or front respectively. Additional sharpening (localised) could be used just around the eye plane that is less sharp to help accentuate it overall. You can also select odd bits of the subject to help accentuate them, being wary of edges (halos).

To do this I use an additional layer and apply sharpening globally. I then add a mask, fill it in with black, to block all the additional sharpening. I then carefully use a white soft edge brush to remove the masking (black) exactly where I want the additional sharpening. Using this method it's easy to alter anything you have done plus adjust overall opacity of the layer if required.

I could do that in Capture 1

[DickyOZ]

A very good shot Brian. Frogs are bigger than most macro subjects and DOF will always be a limiting factor - which bit of the subject do you want sharp?
Thirty years ago I could ask a visitor to point to any tree in our yard and I would show them three or more frogs in it. Now there is only one frog in the whole yard (Kermit) that I know off. I lament their passing.

[JBW]

A very good shot Brian. Frogs are bigger than most macro subjects and DOF will always be a limiting factor - which bit of the subject do you want sharp?
Thirty years ago I could ask a visitor to point to any tree in our yard and I would show them three or more frogs in it. Now there is only one frog in the whole yard (Kermit) that I know off. I lament their passing.

They are one of the first to suffer the effects of climate change. i was trying for the eye.

[madcrow]

Brian, it is a good image, if I took it I would be very happy.

[MarynaS]

I like this image, especially the fact that the frog looks sleepy and peaceful, that's an unusual scene

[bnnrcn]

Very nice image Brian

[JBW]

Hmmmm could be I'm doing my dog with a bone routine and fixating on one particular concept as acceptable. Myra does tell me i tend to go overboard. She just read this and said 'yup'.

[Dave Humphries]

The skin texture is unusual (almost everything is a fine radius curve rather than a sharp edge and I guess this is because it is amphibious), I can see how global sharpening would give a bad result.

I like it as it is.

To give it a bit more 'bite', you could try boosting 'Clarity', or use old fashioned Local Contrast Enhancement (LCE), as those techniques shouldn't unduly affect the fine radius curves.

Dave

[skitterbug]

I really like this - the frog has a rich and "metallic look" and is well done!