Hope you don't mind another Harvest Mouse. Wish it would have moved a bit further forward to give a clearer view, composition was a bit tricky with all that long tail.
Thanks for looking and your comments on my last post.
Gabriela wish I could get the fly on the Mouse.
Keith.
Last edited by keith mitchell; 01-29-2016 at 08:41 AM.
Hi Keith, I commend you for the set-up and composition, this is great, somehow it reminds me of that 'Executive' toy - Newtons cradle. Keith it has brought a chuckle thank you, I just wished I could get some humour into my images like this.
Looking at the image, it does appear a bit dark/heavy in the Black/Shadow areas, just ease off on the Blacks, Contrast, Shadows, don't touch Levels totally wrong. If you do revisit and try adjusting things the green I think will also soften. Looking at the techs I feel perhaps f/11 was a tad much, dropping it would have also given you more SS, something you have no issue with on the D4. Cutting/cropping the Cherries is hard to know where is best, I might have liked a bit more on the RHS, but I think this can only be done when you see the original because you can juggle all round with the crop tool.
All in all, another fun image and I have enjoyed viewing a lot.
Hi Keith .... this is lovely .I very much like the contrasting colors and the tiny mouse balancing through the cherries , very well done
I would also like to echo Steve´s thoughts regarding the tonality and color , the crop well you chopped off the tip of the tail ......at least it does look a bit like , but i might be wrong that the tail is just hidden .
Keep up the nice work and yes Gabriela will love this one .
Not sure what's most delicious, those cherries or the mouse! How wonderful, I wonder how long you had to wait for this to happen? Your patience paid off with a very unique and appealing frame - well done my friend! Lovely colours and tonality, this is nice and sharp, great DOF (you could have gone perhaps for a tad lower F-stop for more SS ).
I understand it was not easy to include the tail, should you have another opportunity you could try move around a bit, to get that tail in? Those little chaps must be quite skittish and I am probably asking a lot! My little mice in the KTP are usually shy and very jumpy when we arrive and set up camp. It takes a day or so for them to get used to me. I watch what they are eating (flowers and tiny pods, etc) and sometimes place a few away from the shade and wait...although there's one problem: the sand is too hot for their delicate pink feet so high SS is of utmost importance, LOL.
I love what you have captured here and I can see this on a magazine cover. Love the vivid colours, the pose from the mouse, the fly. I so enjoyed viewing, this is absolutely delightful - congratulations Keith, and thank you so much for sharing
I think it's a super image Keith and I do not tire of looking at harvest mice - just wish I could get hold of some! I like the colours though it looks a tad heavy I would lift the shadows/darker elements and if the grass still looks a bit rich I would desaturate it a little. Hey keep them coming!
Hey Keith, perhaps you should organise a 'Mad Hatter's Tea Party' in the Summer, I'm sure Jon A, Mike P and myself could make ourselves available for a days shoot with these guys, a little BPN UK get together?
Thanks to all of you much appreciated. Steve think the " Mad hatters party might fit the bill" having a laugh at yourself does the world of good, repost should look less heavy at least it does to me, must say I am ok with the green.Andreas you can just see the end of the tail on the repost(only mouse we have with a prehensile tail which they use all the time).Jon send me a message if I can help I will. Gabriela not sure if I was right but thought that F11 would give me better DOF, you give me lots of good advice and encouragement and sound advice. Hope you get lots of smashing shots on your next trip into the bush, bet those little mice really hot foot it away.
The only advice I have is, when not sure take multiple frames at various DOF and choose your best later, as long as your SS is good enough. Mice move around a lot, and even when they stop moving they tend to twitch their nose to sniffle things!
I will look for something special for you when in the KTP - I am especially fond of Brandt's Whistling Rats and although they try my patience and ability to spot, I have learnt their tricks by now:)
Been dreaming of a mouse holding a flower, let us see if it happens...
Hi Keith, overall, yes it's better, but if I'm honest, it's perhaps somewhere between the two. I think where it needed to be adjust is certainly is an improvement and how far you then apply any further tweaks is perhaps more down to personal taste, however... In the OP there was a certain amount of 'depth, richness and form' to the cherries which was nice, but now those areas are a little lost in the RP, hence suggesting a marriage of the two. I also think the crop is better in the OP because of the stalks. Yes, a bit of cloning could resolve things, but I know you like to keep things pretty straight forward.
If you want to progress this and try something new then let me know, or I'm sure Andreas would help.
Hi Keith ... oops that is a strong step back !! Maybe two steps too much !
I agree with Steve regarding his view to this image .
If you step back ...... step back slowly and eliminate the things that causes the problem .For me the OP was carrying too much of contrast / blacks , the RP is just flat and lifeless , no color or tonal depth !!
I would try again and again , i would take the OP and a new version to the screen at the same time , and i would look at the OP and try to avoid the heavy blacks and strong contrast in the shadows .And then you should be good to go .
Yes i am always willing to help , if one asks for it
Hi Keith -- Brilliant frame ! Totally loved it . I agree with the comments above and would opt for something between your RP and OP . TFS this beautiful frame !
1 curve adjustment in blue channel to make the BG less yellow
2 curve adjustment ( blend mode " soft light " )
3 exp adjustment layer ( gamma 0,70 ) lower the opacity to ...... i forgot actually sorry
4 WB adjustment in ACR filter to go cooler globally
5 Dodge & burn layer ( soft light filled with 50 % grey ) to darken the mouse
6 curve adjustment layer ( soft light blend mode ) with green channel as layer mask
7 Group for the layer beneath to work just on the mouse for more form in the body .
8 curve adjustmnet layer set to ( screen blend mode ) at X % to open up the twig that turned to dark because of the soft light layer ( layer nr 2 )
Awesome image here, Keith! Love the mouse balancing on the cherries, the drops of water on the cherries, and the fly on the twig! Agree that the OP was a bit too dark and the RP was too bright and flat. I think Andreas' RP nails it - the best of both worlds. Great job, Keith!
Another cute pose - the droplets on the cherries make it for me.
I like what Andreas has done, as your 2nd post was a tad flat in terms of contrast and colour...
Theme. Mouse and a fly. C?
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