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    Default This stem is full.

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    Nikon D4
    Nikon 300mm 2.8
    1/1250@f7.1
    iso 3200.
    Harvest mice.


    Just shows how little these weigh hardly bend the corn stalk.
    Thanks a lot for your comments on my last post.

  2. Thanks Daniel Grossi thanked for this post
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    The background is nice, the mouse on the bottom looks sharper than the one on top. Is that corn? It does not look like corn to me.

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    Lifetime Member Rachel Hollander's Avatar
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    Hi Keith - What a fun image! Amazing that they both don't fall off or bend the stalk too much. The square comp works but I can also see a version with a more traditional portrait comp and some off each side. If it were mine I would reduce the magenta in the whites and also tame the highlights on the seeds a bit more.

    TFS,
    Rachel

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    Thanks John I did increase the sharping on the bottom one a bit,it's a stem of wheat..Thanks Rachel here is a repost without magenta I hope, and tamed highlights on the corn.

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    Macro and Flora Moderator Jonathan Ashton's Avatar
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    Keith you have captured another little belter of a shot! I think there is too much magenta/red in the mice. I would try reducing some at RAW and then consider Selective colour of HSL in Photoshop doesn't work, here is a suggestion, I reduced the brightness on the corn by using curves and changing the Normal setting to Luminosity.

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    Hi Keith, a sweet shot indeed. I love the crowding on the thin stem, the eye contact and BG. Agree with Jon and he has done a great job with the RP.

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    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
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    Hi Keith, another endearing image and I very much a simple execution.

    I feel the light wasn't on your side based on the strong highlight running along the wheat ear and the fact you had to go to ISO3200. To me, you really needed a high SS to maintain sharpness, especially when the subjects are balancing on such a lightweight perch to exclude movement. I'm not completely sold on the format, perhaps a 10 x 8 although a sliver off the top would help, just wanted to retain the IQ here as an option. The colour is off, hard to be effective on the OP, but with a Channel Curve adjustment it begins to address the overall colour basis to the image creating a cleaner white, but gets towards a better WB to work from. This is in no way reflective I think of the original capture as I think Keith you have adjust other colours that has effected others, however the WB is close to where you need to be to work from.

    Keep them coming.

    TFS
    Steve

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    HI Keith -- A fun image indeed , loved the moment and the balancing act. I agree with the above and i feel the colours should be something between your OP and Steve's RP. A tighter crop works better .

    TFS !

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    This one is entirely too much fun Keith! I'm going to try to not repeat what others have already say here. Unless they were in the process of getting onto the stalk, I think your choice of shutter speed was right on if not a touch conservative. I'm guessing the D4 is pretty solid at ISO-6400, if that's the case I'm thinking 1/1000; f/11; ISO-6400 would give you the same exposure. I like that combination better to get both eyes to the level of sharpness you would want here. It seems your focus point is just between the two eyes of these little guys. My two concerns with my thoughts however... ISO-6400 is only going to increase that hard highlight on the right, and the increased DoF with f/11 may be a wash adding a full stop of ISO. Awesome shot, happy you shared it with us. Awesome bg by the way.

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    BPN Member Andreas Liedmann's Avatar
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    Hey Keith when does your bummers stop ........ i hope they will not stop !!!!!
    Such a cool frame like most of them .....this is special in terms of content !!!
    I absolutely love it ...

    I would say the colors needed to be addressed and the framing as per Steve is taking the image up a notch . I might not go as far as Steve with the colors , but i do agree that he has given the image some nice cleaning in terms of color . The OP does look a bit muddy ....if you know what i mean .

    Great work ....keep them coming please , always a pleasure to see " your mice "

    TFS Andreas

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    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
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    I might not go as far as Steve with the colors
    Hi Andreas, all I was try to explain was that getting back to a better WB, then can you progress the image in terms of colour, it's not the final version, it's the basis. Adjusting things thereafter takes the image to where I think we all would think is closer.

    Cheers
    Steve

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    Thanks to you all,been having a thought about iso levels and shutter speeds and not sure what I,m thinking makes sense but I always tried to take my pictures when the light was right when I had no need to increase the iso over maybe about 1000 aiming for a shutter speed of about 2000, and certainly did not seem to get the problems I have with this,in fact just perhaps a little adjustment with the colours.I have some more taken in the conditions I describe which I will post.I do understand that my D4 will cope with high iso settings.so would appreciate any help on this.
    Thanks again Keith.

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    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
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    I do understand that my D4 will cope with high iso settings.so would appreciate any help on this.
    What 'precisely' do you need to know Keith? If it's too specific then email me and I'll ask on you behalf .

    Try to look for 1/2000 or even faster 1/3200 to nail the action, DoF say f/9 min, if the light is good perhaps go greater f/14+ if you can still maintain SS and no silly ISO. For me if the face/bodies are sharp the tails can drift OOF. Keep taking test shots to check Histogram and watch for any blown Highlights, and you no what to set in camera for this. I have rough idea of the set up, but again think about time of day, the sun can be harsh late morning, so think when to shoot, but subject to when these guys surface obviously.

    Keith you are so close and if I may, speak overall - we are all loving these images

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    Story Sequences Moderator and Wildlife Moderator Gabriela Plesea's Avatar
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    Hello Keith,

    Another fun image of the adorable - and now famous - harvest mice, thank you so much for sharing! The little ones seem to be around a lot and I gather you have plenty opportunities to capture them in various situations. You also have some nice gear, the D4/300mmF2.8 is a great combination. I really think you should keep experimenting - at times I think you got the perfect settings for the job and an almost perfect frame, other times things are almost there but not quite, in this case I think DoF was not enough?

    You know we love The Mice, keep them coming please, dear Keith?

    Warmest regards,
    Gabriela Plesea

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    Landscapes Moderator Andrew McLachlan's Avatar
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    Hi Keith, this is a very fun image and great that you were able to capture two on the same stem.

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    How totally adorable! Tiny little guys!

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    Thanks a lot every one for your tips and advice it's very much appreciated .

    Keith.

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