Ok whose had me mocha chocca hare caffe?( brown hare UK lepus europeas)
well that is exactly what this frame always makes me think . The suck on that blade of grass just does it for me,so funny watching this
This is back in May,I suppose it's what we brits call a RED LETTER DAY. Basically if that doesn't translate it's that incredibly special day when the fairy dust is about:utterly everything goes right,beyond right....... more than one could wish for. For me in this 1 hour there was utter bliss As a guy trying to be at one with my subject and make images of that the magic they give to me, it surely will be hard to beat,frankly if ever.
I've shown this hare before,it's one of two that eve that came to see what I was: no real cover 4/5 inches of grass and a small dock so taken prone of my elbows.
This is early in proceedings I've been there 1/2 an hour or so, and gradually, nervously she's getting ever closer. She has too know what the sound and shape are. She came round me ,so I got to shoot in a wide variety of angles from the sun ,without changing my position much ,it really was the most wonderful chance. So this is onee of the more backlit ones,something I love exploring with the camera and wildlife.
Processed in DPP4 pulled the greens and yellows back,this time of year is incredibly lush here,I do find conveying those greens that are so vibrant something to ponder,but am fairly happy,here. Bit of NR not much.I guess I'd like to change something maybe mute the BKG slightly when I cam be selcetive . One is hampered in these situations POV being so fixed what probably is bothering me is the headge and her head.probably could do with more shapening as always, but given recent concerns on IQ I hope this is good,that is what I see on the new monitor . I feel it is important to mention that particularly now.Image is cropped upwards and from the left not really that much I guess frame is 75/85% of FF
Canon 1Div 300f2.8is 1.4 extiii
1/2000
f7.1
iso 1600
Thanks for all the wisdom shared on my previous pictures,folks,hope everyone is well
One evening after a proper hard day I'll long remember,how blessed can one be that I walked from my door to this say 200yards
take care
Stu
Last edited by Stuart Philpott; 01-17-2017 at 02:15 PM.
Reason: trying to add thubnail
Stu, it's funny but I DO identify with your moment, one if not THE of my most fulfilling shots was of a hare which I anticipated would trot round a copse and appear the other side where I belly crawled opposite direction for 50m or so, we met eventually at the far end of the copse - me constantly keeping my head behind the camera so I didn't look like a human!
Very nice indeed I really like it. I am not sure I would change anything really - maybe lift the darkest areas just a smidgen. Well done- one of your best images.
Every time I come back to that day this image makes me smile and apoogies but that comment has stuck with me.
John thank you for that story ,mate I'd really love to see that image, please. In part it IS because it's special to you,that is what really draws me,I guess secondary it's an animal I know ,so I relate to the tale.
Thanks for the very kind words,john I don't really know what happened that day,the experience for me boarders surreal. Close to exhausted under an hour out ,350 or so images bagged and barely a beat missed. I failed when the male turned up ,but tracking two lightening hares chasing off elbows was beyond my abilites. Frame after frame of good stuff,leastways for me.
As before one of those special days where someone like me learning the ropes got given a gift . The guy that has tried to learn about our natives for years got the photogrpher to them,something i'll always be chuffed about there were 4 and so little cover. But I'll long be bewildered about how and why the photographer in me did what he did,I had time john way more than normal at the off,which was crucial what came next,hmmm it was wonderful.
Hi Stu - I think we can all identify with the feeling you expressed. Great low pov and comp works well. The blade of grass is great but looks sharper than the hare. Where was your FP? The eye and head of the hare look a little soft as posted (sorry) perhaps some more sharpening will help.
Great story with regard to how you captured the image. I like the colors, the pose and the piece of grass in the hare's mouth. I also like the different shades of color in the background and the hare's separation from the background. I agree with Rachel in that face is a bit soft. Overall, a good image.
Hiya Rachel thank you for the thoughts, The active point is boardering the left eye,left side of point through edge of pupil top base of ear bottom around half way between nose and eye. I'm pretty much maxed on what I can go sharpness wise at this time Rache. i've started using sharpness in DPP,which I won't later on once I can get to grips with PS,it's just really trying to make the best of what I have at this time
Studying at 100% sharpest plane of focus appears to be running down from the eye onto the chest. the nose/ muzzle seems slightly softer to me as with back of head,but I am finding that tricky as the hairs are softer,maybe finer is abetter word around the nose than those in the other places mentioned ie chest DOF of field seems to drop off at the line running roughly down the back of the head through shoulder. I have to have some movement in that muzzle though mate she's eating and the mouth changes from frame to frame,could that be a potential issue and my shutter speed was too slow to freeze that,it's pretty quick 1/2000 for essentially a sitting beastie,but largomophs muzzles I guess are twitchy. Logic sort of goes against that though as the blade of grass should be moving even more I suppose??
Rachel I don't think I could have pulled the camera at all on firing either,I have three frames here this is the middle one. ON the first two the active point is in almost exactly the same place,I say almost.... it can't be perfect,but I can't split them at 100%,third frame, after this, I moved a smidgen right but irrelenvent surely as this frame is already captured. So that should rule out pilot error (always where I look first)
Rachel you are seeing something here you have always been utterly honest with me ,you know how much that has always been appreciated,but what can be the cause. It that camera in my hands stayed in the same place,I mean there isn't a mm of difference at 100% at x number of yards she is from me,my hare isn't moving much beyond what I have already mused,what could I have done wrong. AF is set to track movement AI servo.
What have I missed Rache? Maybe it is as you have said and to produce the quality of sharpness you guys do, that second stage of post after RAW conversion is essential,but I have to rule me out of the equation first . Rachel nothing negative here I'm just trying to logically work through this
Hi Stu - Can you shoot me over the raw file through Dropbox? It's hard to speculate. One possibility could be that the lens is front-focusing.
Rachel cheers for this,I don't think this is a front focus issue ,but I'd love you to be able to give a more educated view..
Rachel I'll shoot you a pm
Hi Stu,well caught with this one having it's dinner and the fact you have the grasses looking really natural,agree with Rachel the bit of grass does look sharper than the Hare,well caught mate.
PS was good to have a chat.
Hi Stu, lovely portrait and I'm please you managed to get a Red Letter day, the world is a great place when things just fall into place.
Considering the limited PP you can do, you are making headway and from my perspective, the only workaround will be that at some point you can get PS, because the small tweaks that it can do, will take the images up several levels and this is what constraints you. You have both the Fieldcraft & eye, that is, as I have said before the hard part, PP is just a learning element. Just refining some of the colours, and applying some Curves adjustments to the FG just brings some more 'pop' I feel and perhaps gets closer to your thoughts of a more vivid/deeper colour, conveying the time of day, but it's ALL subjective.
Keep on doing what you are doing and build on the techs Stu.
In relation to the sharpness, I don't think the camera is front focusing, I just think it needs some better sharpening techniques. The easiest way to see what the camera is doing is with a tripod and a brick wall, but you will need to borrow the tripod Stu, if you can let me know and I ill tell you the simple process.
Hope you are finding a few hours in the week to get out, the weather is cracking!!!
Hi Stu -- I really liked the low POV here and it appears that the Hare is actually drinking something using the straw maybe the Grassjuice ! and Steve's RP has remarkably improved this image and I agree with Steve regarding something wrong with sharpening technique of yours , i always find your images a bit soft . Nevertheless this is one of your better images which i really enjoyed viewing .
TFS !
Hi Stu,well caught with this one having it's dinner and the fact you have the grasses looking really natural,agree with Rachel the bit of grass does look sharper than the Hare,well caught mate.
PS was good to have a chat.
Cheers Keith.
Thank you Keith, I wish I could have shared this shoot with you. You would have loved it but I guess things like this would be all but impossible sadly but truely an experiece i'd love to have shared.
Keith it was us talking that made me go back for this ,I have so much from that day untouched as yet,I hoped you would see this thanks, for the thoughts buddy
Hi Stu, lovely portrait and I'm please you managed to get a Red Letter day, the world is a great place when things just fall into place.
Considering the limited PP you can do, you are making headway and from my perspective, the only workaround will be that at some point you can get PS, because the small tweaks that it can do, will take the images up several levels and this is what constraints you. You have both the Fieldcraft & eye, that is, as I have said before the hard part, PP is just a learning element. Just refining some of the colours, and applying some Curves adjustments to the FG just brings some more 'pop' I feel and perhaps gets closer to your thoughts of a more vivid/deeper colour, conveying the time of day, but it's ALL subjective.
Keep on doing what you are doing and build on the techs Stu.
In relation to the sharpness, I don't think the camera is front focusing, I just think it needs some better sharpening techniques. The easiest way to see what the camera is doing is with a tripod and a brick wall, but you will need to borrow the tripod Stu, if you can let me know and I ill tell you the simple process.
Hope you are finding a few hours in the week to get out, the weather is cracking!!!
Cheers
Steve
Why thank you kind sir, an absolute blinder Steve what an hour,best not tell folks I nearly fell asleep face down in the mud though while she sussed me out, I was probably there 20mins before she came.. Seriously special Steve,you know how curious they can be it's tapping into that but not spooking them and those amazing senses,got very lucky buddy that's the truth !!
Hmmm,we seem to be sat right on the edge of the cloud while either side of the country gets sun Steve ,sadly, just when I have had a bit more time. We have been sat under dull grey mist since chrimbo, on the one day of sun was working dawn till dusk.... hey ho hopes are high next couple of days .
Can do tripod Steve very low but with second timer can do what is needed (tis not adequate for the field and this rig) but would suffice. you want me to shoot along the wall and use the bricks to guage DOF ,ha ha that's cool Shoot me a pm please Steve
Thought provoking repost Steve I'm grabbed instantly by the darker layer at the front,i'll pull back slightly ,but that's clever Steve adds depth.,and that's done with curves,done little so far wiith curves Steve but have read a bit need to up my game there!! But it's that ability to be able to work non globally Steve,that's essentially what I need. It's no hardship I have this to come back too and more
Oh sorry, I don't think it's front focus I'm not sure what is going on but if it is here it isn't consistent !!I honestly feel the same I just can't sharpen like i will be able to later on,always open to learn though Steve !!
Here's to trying to some of that cracking weather landing here please
Great story with regard to how you captured the image. I like the colors, the pose and the piece of grass in the hare's mouth. I also like the different shades of color in the background and the hare's separation from the background. I agree with Rachel in that face is a bit soft. Overall, a good image.
Best Regards,
Ken
Hiya Ken,OMG Ken, my most humble apologies I missed you post,please forgive. The colours in bkg are a hedge, they are largely haw and blackthorn. boardering trees not yet in leaf It's those that i just wanted to tone a little that I refered to John about. I find it amazing how some images one seems to be able to see round the subject,I understand what you mean by that separation,there is something within not quite the conventional over the shoulder lighting how it wraps around a subject I find fascinating and part of that sort of 3d appearance. Ken I'm not saying I have mastered that here but I do find it really interesting and feel that is in part adding to that separation.
thanks so much for your time Ken once again please forgive, my oversight it was nothing more. You'll love it here Ken and i can't wait to see more of your work,
Hi Stu very late to this party , sorry for that .
I can only echo Steve´s thoughts and suggestions , wise words !!!!
And his RP works very well and does show where the image needs to go in a nice world.
Keep up the work in the field ..... and try get PS at some point , just DPP is too limited to get the most out of your field work .
Hi Stu very late to this party , sorry for that .
I can only echo Steve´s thoughts and suggestions , wise words !!!!
And his RP works very well and does show where the image needs to go in a nice world.
Keep up the work in the field ..... and try get PS at some point , just DPP is too limited to get the most out of your field work .
Really lovely shot .
TFS Andreas
Hey Andreas
don't worry at all my friend I'm always late to the party
Buddy I can't have PS yet my PC won't support and I have to be careful for the mo,a little set back,but it will come. Andreas I do want it, the best bit is I'm starting to see what I'd like to be able to use it for,beyond the ideas I had when You first helped me forwards .
Thanks for the kind words little steps mate. It always amazes who the same hare can look so different as the HA changes
Ok whose had me mocha chocca hare caffe?( brown hare UK lepus europeas)
well that is exactly what this frame always makes me think . The suck on that blade of grass just does it for me,so funny watching this
Reply With Quote
,but what can be the cause. It that camera in my hands stayed in the same place,I mean there isn't a mm of difference at 100% at x number of yards she is from me,my hare isn't moving much beyond what I have already mused,what could I have done wrong. AF is set to track movement AI servo.
Originally Posted by Rachel Hollander
! and Steve's RP has remarkably improved this image and I agree with Steve regarding something wrong with sharpening technique of yours , i always find your images a bit soft . Nevertheless this is one of your better images which i really enjoyed viewing .
