Results 1 to 9 of 9

Thread: A sign of Spring!

  1. #1
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Southwest Michigan
    Posts
    1,359
    Threads
    152
    Thank You Posts

    Default A sign of Spring!

    Attached Images Attached Images
     
    Hello, thought I would post one of my butterfly images from yesterday with Randy Stout and Roy Van Loo. A nice sign of Spring every year when the Meijer Gardens host the Butterflies are Blooming. Not shooting macro a whole lot it is a different challenge whenever I attempt it. I thought I was shooting at f/13 but apparently not . Anyways, I hope you like it and let me know what you think. Self critique for next time - need a little more DOF.

    7D, 100-400mm at 390mm, EF25 II extension tube, 1/50, f/11, iso00, flash, Hand Held. ( that is iso:five hundred)

    Gary.
    Last edited by Gary Esman; 03-09-2013 at 03:24 PM.

  2. #2
    Avian Moderator Randy Stout's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    SW Michigan
    Posts
    14,112
    Threads
    820
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    GARY:

    The lighting turned out very well on this one. Impressive to hand hold that rig at that speed! ISO 500! Wow, will wonders never cease! (This is an inside joke. Gary loves ISO 200, and we discuss it frequently!)

    I would consider softening the brown/yellow spot in front of the wings. Maybe toning down the highlights in the leaf trough.

    From a comp. viewpoint, would like to have the tip of the leaf in the frame.

    Cheers

    Randy
    MY BPN ALBUMS

    "Tact is the art of making a point without making an enemy" Sir Isaac Newton

  3. #3
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Maryland's Eastern Shore, beside Fairlee Creek near the Chesapeake Bay
    Posts
    1,961
    Threads
    344
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Hi Gary.

    I agree with Randy, that it would be better to include the tip of the leaf if possible.

    If it were mine, I'd crop a little off the right, and possibly some off the left, to dramatize your subject a little more.

    But I like this image. And those little drops of water below and to the rear of the subject are nice.

    Norm

  4. #4
    Macro and Flora Moderator Jonathan Ashton's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    Cheshire UK
    Posts
    17,015
    Threads
    2,604
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Well exposed and focused, the detail is good and the DOF is almost perfect. My only reservation is the background, it is a little blotchy, the contrast is redily fixed using a green brush at say 20-30% and just going over some of the paler areas, I think this will make a considerable difference.

  5. #5
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Southwest Michigan
    Posts
    1,359
    Threads
    152
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Thanks all for your input. Sounds like the big issue is the background. This venue offers some great challenges for this. So will I work on the getting better backgrounds to reduce the post processing. Thanks again, plan on heading back up there at least one more time this year.

    Gary.

  6. #6
    Avian Moderator Randy Stout's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    SW Michigan
    Posts
    14,112
    Threads
    820
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Attached Images Attached Images
     
    Gary;

    You are really close on this one, and I agree with Jon that a little bg work will really polish it a bit. I think the lighting on the bfly is really nice, and worth the little tweak of the bg.

    30% clone stamp, with sample from upper left hand corner.

    You can do a better job on the original, but it would be a keeper for me.

    Cheers

    Randy
    MY BPN ALBUMS

    "Tact is the art of making a point without making an enemy" Sir Isaac Newton

  7. #7
    BPN Viewer Dave Leroy's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Location
    Delta, BC
    Posts
    3,789
    Threads
    380
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Lovely colors on the butterfly. Nicely focused and exposed. Randy's repost makes a nice improvement. Just missing the darn leaf tip.

  8. #8
    BPN Member Steve Maxson's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Bemidji, Minnesota
    Posts
    5,801
    Threads
    818
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Hi Gary. It's nice to see a consensus! All the points I was going to make have already been covered above. You have a very nice image to work with and Randy's repost shows how a few tweaks can make it dramatically better. This could also make a nice vertical comp.

  9. #9
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Southwest Michigan
    Posts
    1,359
    Threads
    152
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Thanks Randy the re-post looks good! I looked "tip of leaf I do not have"

    Gary.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Web Analytics