PDA

View Full Version : Common Blue Damselflies



Jonathan Ashton
07-28-2011, 09:41 AM
Canon 50D Canon 180mm macro Tripod ISO 200-0.33 1/20 f11
Just about managed this one! I had to place the tripod in the pond whilst I was on the bank leaning on to the tripod I nearly went into the drink!

All C & C welcome.

Brendan Dozier
07-28-2011, 10:53 AM
Way to make the extra effort, Jonathan, great looking flies. Both in sharp focus and really like the perch and composition on this. Very minor, but if it were mine, I might remove the bit of white in ULC, and maybe the small leaf scar behind the wing of fly on rt. Nice work!

Roman Kurywczak
07-28-2011, 01:35 PM
Hey Jonathan,
Almost fallen in myself mmore than a few times! I think the action and story are great as is the light. I'm not thrilled with the leaf.....but the more I looked at this the more I realized that it wasn't a real issue for me. so I tried something and even implemented some of Brendans ideas. First I rotated teh image 1 degree CCW. I wanted to save as much of the curve and sort of straighten the damselfly. Then cropped. I then smoothed the brightness in the water.....which I think was my main issue by removing cyan in the brighter area.....dropping the brightness a touch and then clone/patching the transition lines. I did knock down the brightness on the leaf only 2 points.....but not necessary IMO. A also cleaned up the ULC. I do think it makes the images stronger......but the PP'ing may be too much for your tastes but wanted to give you an idea to try out if you so chose. All in all a very nice image and worth the effort. A few tweaks will take it over the top for my tastes.

Jonathan Ashton
07-28-2011, 03:40 PM
Thanks very much for the comments and the repost Brendan & Roman I appreciate your time to consider the image. I like the repost in all aspects I think it improves the image - except the crop - too tight for me - but thanks very much you have mad a significant improvement to the image.

christopher galeski
07-29-2011, 02:51 AM
nice one Jonathan,like Romans repost,but I am not a fan of the oof,curled up leaf,thanks.

Steve Maxson
07-29-2011, 10:51 AM
Hi Jonathan. This is a very nice behavioral image and you nailed the focus on both damsels. I like the curve and flow of the leaf and I think Roman's tweaks have improved the image - though I could go either way on the crop. In a perfect world, I would wish the bit of debris behind the wings of the rear damsel wasn't there, but that would be tricky to try to remove. Overall, this is very well done.