Some of my pics.

cheers russ, got some butterfly ones to sort soon.
 
Good idea - one thread - some good and interesting images

Nice Redshank
 
Thanks all, struggling processing the red admirals, got some time spare this avvie so will post some shots, honest advice needed cos i`m struggling with them.
 
Flickr seems to be oversharpening these. Taken with my panasonic and the 100-300 lens.

I think I needed more DOF with these. Will try again soon.


Red Admiral 1 by fraccie76, on Flickr


Red Admiral 2 by fraccie76, on Flickr
 
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Ade,

I have only been taking close ups for a couple of months but I find that the lack of overall sharpness caused by shallow DOF even at high fvalues is alway a battle (for me) ……….extreme highlights and shadows are also quite a common

if you then try to compensate with too much selective sharpening it can exaggerate this and become noticeable

I find that (Nikon) RAW files need quite a lot of processing as they can be very flat and lack contrast as well as needing adjustments in the highlights and shadow areas, etc.

For me spot single cell focusing and spot exposure generally work better than any other combination and f8 seems to work for me better than any other high or lower fvalue

I also find that "stepping back a little", using a 300mm lens on a cropped sensor body and trying to get as parallel as possible to the subject is the starting point for improving the DOF sharpness, and, to always consider, (as you have done in the above shots), the overall composition of the image if favour of trying to get too close.

Just my experience
 
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Ade,

I have only been taking close ups for a couple of months but I find that the lack of overall sharpness caused by shallow DOF even at high fvalues is alway a battle (for me) with close ups ……….extremes of highlights and shadows are also quite a common problem

if you then try to compensate even with selective sharpening it can even exaggerate this and if you over do it, it becomes noticeable

I also find that (Nikon) RAW files need quite a lot of processing as they can be very flat and lack contrast as well as needing adjustments in the highlights and shadow areas

For me spot single cell focusing and spot exposure generally works better than any other combination

I also find that "stepping back a little", using a 300mm lens on a cropped sensor body and trying to get as parallel as possible to the subject is the starting point to improving the DOF plus, (as you have done in the above shots), not neglecting the overall composition on the image if favour of trying to get too close

Just my experience
Some good points and helpful advice there Bill, I do very little close up stuff,so your comments are most appreciated,thanks.
 
Nice collection Ade. May I help in the ID of the butterfly, it is a Small Tortoishell.
 
Nice collection Ade. May I help in the ID of the butterfly, it is a Small Tortoishell.
Thanks for that bud, i dunno much about butterflies,so the help is appreciated.
 
Cheers Mark, I need more time too spend doing photography rather than setting stuff up for next year.
 
Well focused shot ... must have been challenging to get to see him! :)

(Hare that is :) )
 
Well focused shot ... must have been challenging to get to see him! :)

(Hare that is :) )
Good old manual focus Roger...............(y)
 
Crap shot, no feet and tail OOF, but a very rare sight for me on the estate. The female was knocking about but didin`t get a decent shot of her.


Male Bullfinch August 1 by fraccie76, on Flickr
 
@BRASH Has he lost the plot here M8 or did you thump him between the eyes?The fool knows that bird shots belong in that other section,you know the one (y)
 
This family of owls are getting used to me now, I don`t feed or bait them. I may do so sparingly when the weather gets more wintery.


Little Owl September 1 by Fracster, on Flickr
 
Ade, Bird looks like a Cisticola ………. Streaked, rather than plain back, family with a short tail, (rather than a long tail), so I think it is maybe a Zitting ……… I think that there are 4 or 5 different "types" of families ……. a lot of them look the same but have (very) different songs and calls ……which is the usual way to identify them

but I have only seen Cisticola's in S Africa …

we have loads of those Lizards in France - all shapes and sizes - if they climb up walls etc., they are just called wall lizards ……. not sure about yours

Above just in my opinion
 
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Thanks Bill, the small bird was in the tall grass in a wetland area near the sea. Birds are very difficult to get near on the island. We did see buzzards,kestrels and a sole peregrine whilst out walking.

Got some damsel flies that need id`ing when I have processed them, if you don`t mind helping?
 
Cheers Ade,

Habitat for Zitting is low lying damp areas with dense grass…….. but quite a few like that habitat and the ones that I have seen have been in high grass at the sides of inland fresh water lakes not far from the coast (sea) ….. but as you say that are quite small birds that "flit" around quite a lot

Here's a poor image to show you how similar they are

I think that this is a Wailing Cisticola …… but I'm not sure

Wailling.jpg


be interested to see your damselfly images
 
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Thanks Bill, tail looks a lot shorter on my pic, here is the first fly. My insect id is on a par with my bird id i`m afraid.


Unknown Damsel Sicily by Fracster, on Flickr
 
Hi Ade

That Dragonfly looks like a Scarlet Darter, (Crocothemis erythraea), sometimes called a Broad Scarlet …….. male mature

The Bird - the image I posted I think is a Wailing C - long tail and highly streaked back

as I indicated I think yours is a Zitting C, short tail and streaked

Both have completely different calls - I think that there are about 20 different Cisticola's and they are quite common in their range

but I'm not an expert
 
Thanks Bill, input appreciated..............:)
 
Thanks Carl, appreciate the comment.
 
You have some really very, very nice pictures amongst this collection. Well done.
 
Your right about the tree in the background, but considering the poor light, still a nice shot.
Looks like it`s been in a few squabbles looking at that ear.
pretty crap light, I agree Lee.

speak tomorrow re June.
 
The oof focus tree annoys me now, will bear it in mind next time I see them. Weather was very dark with very little overhead light coming through,hence settings.


Red Squirrel 1 by Fracster, on Flickr

I think the oof tree adds to the background and makes you focus in on the subject, but we're all very critical of our own work, but if I'd taken this, I would have been very happy
 
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