Lemur close crop.

[Ian McHenry]

This is one of my first digital images taken thro' the wire netting @ local wildlife park in August 2006.
Canon Powershot S2IS 1/800 sec F5.
200 ISO @ 72 mm focal length.
Significant crop.
Ian McHenry

[Paul Davey]

Hi Ian

I'd be inclined to label your camera's reading "72mm" as incorrect. With most digital cameras the computer cannot trace optical zoom accurately. Your S2IS also has a broad range of focal length capabilities (450mm) and presumably you would have used that to scale a frame through the wire netting in the first place. Of course, at the wildlife park you can't really control the light, because clearly this image was taken on one of those bright sunny days and the park will have limited visiting hours for the light we want, say the few hours after sunrise/before sunset. In a zoo, I'd suggest you aim to eliminate the background which doesn't apply, in this instance grass. Perhaps up in a tree with a background of sky would look more natural. So in this image, even closer would be better without any other distractions. Perhaps get down lower as well if you can. Aim for a photograph looking towards you, but not directly. At an angle will do.

As for the image itself, the background is very unnatural and of course the light almost seems to overexpose the whites in the subject. All of the photograph is far too noisy and grainy...this would be a result of extensive cropping. If you want a better portrait, eliminating the background, I'd suggest you use the K10D coupled with the 400mm - or even lower. The FOV crop will do the lens great and even then, at 10 megapixels you can crop to your heart's desire instead of (like me) being limited to the frustrating 5 megapixels.

(Un?)fortunately New Zealand doesn't have much in the way of mammals to photograph, which is why many practice at the zoo. I am sure if there were more mammals it certainly wouldn't do our birds a favor which is why I address the outcome with a question mark.

Paul

[john jackson]

I like this image. Anthropomorphic I know, but the pose has a pensive, thoughtful air about it. I would crop a little less at the top – show a little more of the animal's brown crown and stop the white reaching the top of the frame – and crop more from the right to get rid of as much background as possible.

As Paul says, you have met the limits of the equipment you had with you (dynamic range, noise etc., although perhaps you could have lowered the ISO if the camera has 100 ISO?) and the situation you were in, but I think you have done well with the equipment to hand at the time.

[Alfred Forns]

I like it a lot Ian !!!! Way to get close If anything would have a bit more at the top

In PS you can try blurring the bg just a tad and try the multiplying procedure for getting some detail in the light area (forehead) Would try making images at 100 ISO for optimum quality Will have less artifacts but do like this as presented

I feel you made the best possible image under the circumstances ..... and btw love those prominent eyes Congrats

[Ian McHenry]

Thanks for your comments Paul, John and Al.
Paul : No the focal length as shown is correct as can be seen from original resized but otherwise unedited version.
Hope this might encourage others where a wire fence appears to have ruined the shot to try to get as much as possible of the subject thro' a fence hole and hope it comes out OK.
For this reason I was unable to loosen the crop any further as well suggested by you all.

John: Good suggestion re 100 ISO. I seem to have got myself into a 200 ISO mentality for this camera for taking action shots. Glad you like the picture.

Al: As always good suggestions, re-enforcement of 100 ISO idea and some good pointers for me to try with Photoshop Elements. Bit of a slow learning process for me !!! LOL.

Cheers: Ian McHenry