Critique Young dabchick

Stuart Philpott

Stuart Philpott

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Stu
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I've got a few images from last week I'd like to share,so rather than littering up the place with lots of single posts I thought I'd wack them here. I hope these are some of the better images,but I might also illustrate some behaviours as well that frankly i've not seen before. I'd welcome critique , on the better images and i'll try to be clear where i'm illustrating something,but don't think the pic is up to scratch. i've just plugged in a new monitor a hand me down from my lad, bless him. So i'd also be grateful for any pointers if my colours are astray . It's another uncalibrated dell and seems much the same as my last regarding colour,but I am a bit aprehensive at the moment. Cheers for reading and having a look and any thoughts in advance and all the previous help and guidance.
All images processed in dpp4 and taken with my usual tools,all are shot from a hide so pov is what it is.


Lets start with a classic type of dabchick pose: 1/1600 f5.6 iso 1250

_70F7438 by Stuart Philpott, on Flickr

more soon

Stu
 
htid said:
Looks nice to me on my phone Stu!
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Chris you are way further on than I in all this,if you get a chance when you are on your full rig,i'd love your feedback. You are also much more familar with this hide shooting lark over water which I so rarely do.Ahh mate you'ld have had a blinder with this little guy I just know it,

thanks for the comment mate

Stu
 
Another couple taken withing seconds of the first same techs. The first we both like the pose,second :well dabchick dive so I feel a need to capture this. There might be more of these:rolleyes: I adore how little splash they make and find that tail just plain funny:D

_70F7439 by Stuart Philpott, on Flickr

_70F7443 by Stuart Philpott, on Flickr

seeya
Stu
 
Finally for tonight 5 images taken in a under a second (I still find all this fast continuous ten frames per second malarky a bit surreal) ,I'm very curious as to which is anyones' favourite and why. 1/4000 f 5.6 iso 800

I was actually focused on an adult to my left and just caught movement from my little mate slightly to the right of me out of the corner of my eye I turned and this is the result. They are all slight crops as my focus point is slightly low . A good bit of luck here as this was the only time I saw her do this in our whole stay with her,which I guess was hours. For me this again points to just how focused one has to be with wildlife and how utterly easy it can be to miss the gems available when a bird or animal is actually in range of the tools one is using. No I don't think these are gems,sure i'm thrilled to have got something though:), I could so easily have missed this SO easily!!
1
_70F7523 by Stuart Philpott, on Flickr

2
_70F7524 by Stuart Philpott, on Flickr

3
_70F7525 by Stuart Philpott, on Flickr

4
_70F7526 by Stuart Philpott, on Flickr

5
_70F7527 by Stuart Philpott, on Flickr

take care all

Stu
 
holty said:
lovely and clear shot no1
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I know you are referring to my first post not what is above mate many thanks though,cor she was a blast to be with and try to capture:) !!

take care

Stu
 
These are much better Stu, looks like you were more relaxed her as it wasn't making a dash for an insect and you were able to work more calmly. :)
 
Good shots Stu but the one with its head underwater is a belter (y) :D
 
Hey Roger good morning sir:) thank you mate!!

In part yes I think you are right on the first 2 posts. But her wing flapping (those five numbered together) would have had possibly more pressure of instant framing and no time. Maybe the speed of the strike is a player as it's no easy thing to read when she was going to actually shoot forwards, I was tracking her so really had more time there than with the wing flapping where it was literally turn point and shot. Ahh I dunno mate wish I did though;),I've pondered the contrast of the water surface and all manner of things.. But that strike is a very very fast movement my focus point is slightly off the mark in both cases. From my techs I must have had much more light for the flapping shots lower iso higher shutter same dof ie f5.6.. I need to be more precise with my focus point is my first point of address though:)

Roger I make no bones about the fact i'm learning,within that I feel a lack of consistency will be part of my image making for a while yet,sadly, it drives me nuts when I don't get it right but the only way to get better is try harder:D So hopefully we'll see her again later and maybe get a second chance.

take care mate

Stu
 
Phil-D said:
Good shots Stu but the one with its head underwater is a belter (y) :D
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Ahh cheers Phil,I admire your work mate!

Phil how lucky to get that one perfect droplet over her back, I asked her really nicely for that,lmao:D. Being serious though Phil it is very interesting which images grab folks to me,i'm very unsure about all this,but know what I personally like. I wondered whether the lack of eye in frame would detract for many
Cheers for your time Phil very much appreciated

take care

Stu
 
I know I always seem to "chime in" with something that may appear negative, but I don't mean to

with shots of Ducks in water it is important to get them swimming horizontally, not up or downhill .. even slightly off is a "no no" ........... a past forum member always used to emphasis that

Keep the shots coming Stu, get the head as sharpe as you can and also that colouring in the bill area
 
BillN_33 said:
I know I always seem to "chime in" with something that may appear negative, but I don't mean to

with shots of Ducks in water it is important to get them swimming horizontally, not up or downhill .. even slightly off is a "no no" ........... a past forum member always used to emphasis that

Keep the shots coming Stu, get the head as sharpe as you can and also that colouring in the bill area
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Good morning to you good sir,


Don't be daft mate :D your'e taking your time to help me try and be better.... fire away buddy.Negative or positive I don't see that I see help..... don't think I won't have a crack with you though Bill;)

I'm very serious about this very very driven, you guys aren't really seeing that as my time is so pressurised,so I constantly have to choose whether I share something or go out and try for better. But it has to be fun too buddy:) As was so dramatically brought home to me the other day life is too short for it to be any other way!!


Serious head on......... which images in particular Bill, or maybe all of them ?? But yes point taken and something I utterly did not dwell on last night,you are quite right to point this out Bill :) , i'm not sure what more I could do about the beak area colour mate, but will dig and muse that,I think the kidlets are'nt quite so vibrant as the adults

many thanks buddy ,please don't be worrying on negativity though I just don't see it:)

take care

Stu
 
Stuart Philpott said:
Good morning to you good sir,


Don't be daft mate :D your'e taking your time to help me try and be better.... fire away buddy.Negative or positive I don't see that I see help..... don't think I won't have a crack with you though Bill;)

I'm very serious about this very very driven, you guys aren't really seeing that as my time is so pressurised,so I constantly have to choose whether I share something or go out and try for better. But it has to be fun too buddy:) As was so dramatically brought home to me the other day life is too short for it to be any other way!!


Serious head on......... which images in particular Bill, or maybe all of them ?? But yes point taken and something I utterly did not dwell on last night,you are quite right to point this out Bill :) , i'm not sure what more I could do about the beak area colour mate, but will dig and muse that,I think the kidlets are'nt quite so vibrant as the adults

many thanks buddy ,please don't be worrying on negativity though I just don't see it:)

take care

Stu
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Hi Stu

It's just something I check as a first with such images Stu ........ line them up on the grid

I just looked at your "head in the water shot" which is very appealing and thought that it may be a shade off horizontal ....... but my spectacles could be on crooked, so always check

I have looked at all your images and keep coming back to the thread
 
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BillN_33 said:
Hi Stu

It's just something I check as a first with such images Stu ........ line them up on the grid

I just looked at your "head in the water shot" which is very appealing and thought that it may be a shade off horizontal ....... but my spectacles could be on crooked, so always check

I have looked at all your images and keep coming back to the thread
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Bill the water line on the bird does run uphill slightly from right to left ie back to front on the bird,but I simply felt that was the bird literally pulling the meniscus of the water up as she dived????? Having the water so still,these shots are revealing to me details in how the water gets frozen in motion i'm not terribly familiar with,so i'm not sure on any level. Damn tricky one buddy,but I still appreciate you mentioning it:)

Stu
 
Hi Stu,

I like no.1. It's nice and sharp and I know you couldn't get any lower because of the hide :p

No. 2, I would up the shadows on the face area as I feel they are a little dark.

No.3 I like as it is :)

The next set, consisting of the wing flap, I still don't think it's necessary that you use such a fast shutter speed as 1/4000. I reckon you could get away with a full stop less (1/2000) with similar results, of course it would then push your iso down to around 400. Then again, this day and age, there seems to be little difference between 800 and 400 on a lot of cameras :)
 
wezza13 said:
Hi Stu,

I like no.1. It's nice and sharp and I know you couldn't get any lower because of the hide :p

No. 2, I would up the shadows on the face area as I feel they are a little dark.

No.3 I like as it is :)

The next set, consisting of the wing flap, I still don't think it's necessary that you use such a fast shutter speed as 1/4000. I reckon you could get away with a full stop less (1/2000) with similar results, of course it would then push your iso down to around 400. Then again, this day and age, there seems to be little difference between 800 and 400 on a lot of cameras :)
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Hey buddy how ya doing?? Many thanks for the time taken to respond Wez always appreciated !! ha but I like lying in the mud:p what can I say,you obviously do too re your grey lag I just spotted a few mins back. Mate I can't do anything selectively, DPP works globally my computer won't support PS at this time. But of course you are right with you comment with regards to that second image;):).

I guess I push shutter as a means of trying to get sharp images mate,i'm often on the high side,I did note your comment somewhere recently about how iso can effect detail,but always being hand held and being fairly new to all this I have concerns that my shutter technique might be lacking. A fantastic photographer,whom has shown me huge kindness has always encouraged me to push the shutter and maybe sacrifice the iso. He produces some stunning captures,I am utterly in awe of his skills and he has had a profound influence on my outlook,I owe him a huge dept for the time he has taken to help me,a huge dept!!! He really has been incredibly kind and giving So in many ways this is considered,but it has to be said I personally don't feel I have that ability to add any finesse to this as of yet ...in other words maybe I go a bit over the top. With time and practice i'll gradually hone this,leastways I hope so mate. Obviously getting the exposure a bit to the right might also help. Buddy I'm simply not there yet no expertise at all not really consistent.

My quest is simply to try and get sharp images as a first and then slowly try and hone everything until I am competent,but so much especially in post processing is an unknown like noise reduction for example. Sometimes I find it very hard to know what to do for the best final results. I did feel out of my comfort zone here, as I have already mentioned . I feel i'm making progress Wez but have a damn long way to go

Wez. the other thing which you well know with wildlife is that chances can be fleeting little time to think,so I guess i'm playing it safe as I slowly learn how to do all this. Buddy I really do appreciate you bringing this up it is definitely something I feel I lack expertise in,so you thoughts are a great help in making me dwell on this,plus of course telling me where you would have gone tech wise is always useful

cheers bro

Stu
 
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