horsetail

[Bob Smith]

162806These are horsetail shoots pushing up through the gravel surface of the dyke along the S. arm of the Fraser R. near home in Ladner, B.C. 5DIII,EF24-105 f/4L IS, ISO 640, f/7.1, 1/400, HH<script type="text/javascript" src="safari-extension://com.ebay.safari.myebaymanager-QYHMMGCMJR/54af69fc/background/helpers/prefilterHelper.js"></script>

[Jonathan Ashton]

Bob firstly I would say the horsetails are well exposed, the background is complex but relatively muted. I think when looking critically one has to ask the question what is the picture "of". In other words is it clear where the eye is supposed to focus attention. One horsetail is well focused, two fairly well and one out of focus - so the eye starts to roam. Secondly to give the horse tails more emphasis I think you need to get down low and if necessary do a little gardening to make them more clearly visible. I use the word "gardening" advisably, to much can become obvious - nature is naturally chaotic and also it is frowned upon in natural history competition/display.
A tripod is a great asset in this respect it forces you to slow down and think about composition direction and content. Hope this helps, if you have any questions I will be pleased to answer as I am sure would other people on the forum.

[Bob Smith]

I appreciate your comments re: using a tripod and slowing down some Jonathan---I know I tend to be of the "run-and-gun" disposition too often. That would let me go to a slower Shutter speed and then use aperture to get more depth of field. I have trouble with getting low, as radiation treatment 11 yrs. ago buggered my neck so that I quickly get muscle spasms when I extend my neck backwards to look through the viewfinder ( this plagues me with birds too ). The only solution I can think of to that would be to get one of those cameras with a flip screen and shoot in live view. I'm certainly not above "a touch of gardening" and just need to pay more attention to detail, although in that regard I feel that I am finally starting to feel comfortable enough with the process of taking pictures that I can more readily be aware of other such details. It's a lot like skiing or rock climbing I think, in that the more you do it the more the fine details come naturally. I wonder if it would improve the image if the OOF stalk had been behind the other three instead of in front?<script type="text/javascript" src="safari-extension://com.ebay.safari.myebaymanager-QYHMMGCMJR/69a1d767/background/helpers/prefilterHelper.js"></script>

[Jonathan Ashton]

Yes I think Bob, also you may wish to consider buying a right angled viewfinder. The canon version is expensive but well made, there are mickey mouse versions available which are cheap and I have used them effectively - just rather plastic in construction.

[Bob Smith]

Thanks Jonathan that's a great tip---I didn't know such a thing existed.
<script type="text/javascript" src="safari-extension://com.ebay.safari.myebaymanager-QYHMMGCMJR/836be2b4/background/helpers/prefilterHelper.js"></script>