Eastern Cottontail Portrait
Today is my 90th day on BPN. Thus far I've only posted in the Avian forum - weird my first post as a full member is in Wildlife... This little guy let me get way closer than I was expecting him to!
Nikon D500
Nikkor 600mm f/4E FL ED VR
1/400
f/4
ISO-800
Center Weighted Average
Cleveland, Ohio
June 2017
Warm and mostly sunny about an hour after sunrise.
Forgot to mention I added a +10 vignette in LR to soften it a touch.
Hi Daniel - Thanks for your membership and welcome to the Wildlife Forum. Nice first post. The frame filling comp works for me and so does the flower in the corner. If it were mine I would back off on the contrast and also might have gone for a bit more dof.
It would be great to have your thoughts on other wildlife images. Just like in Avian, we recommend commenting on 3-5 other wildlife images each time you post one of your own. It's the best way to become part of the community and get the most out of BPN. It lets all get to know each other and our styles as well as learn from each other. Looking forward to seeing more of your wildlife images.
TFS,
Rachel
Hi Daniel -- Nice to see you posting here at wildlife forum and a lovely image to start with . Certainly a bit more DOF would have helped but i still like the tight frame with that eye looking nice and shiny . The flower kind of adds to the frame as well .
TFS !
A fine shot, love the clear eye and the clover. I might be tempted to add a little more canvas top and right.
Thanks Rachel! I agree on your DoF recommendation. Although I'm relatively knowledgeable on the limits of my camera, I still have an apprehension going above ISO-800 birds and wildlife. I really need to get over that. I'll certainly be commenting on other's posts, in fact, I'll be getting to that on my next break here at work.Originally Posted by Rachel Hollander
Thanks Haseeb!
Thanks Jonathan! It could definitely use some room to breath on the right. I need to take a look at it again when I get home later. I did very little cropping with this one, I'll have to see if there's any more room to give.
Hi Daniel, from what you say there is minimal cropping so the issue was you were too close here sadly. If however you do have more space then hopefully there is room to avoid the clipped whiskers on the RHS. I quite like the HA, but the sharp eye and shooting wide open jars for me, the contrast is too great from sharp to OOF. Having more vegetation in the FG may have helped frame the head? The light also seems quite even but light, having 'darker' areas I think will add/create some depth it's all looking a bit 'etherial/dreamy' around the edges. Some of the 'warmer' colours look a bit heavy, but you were there so have a better idea.
Next time perhaps have some more space all round for final cropping, but do try to frame initially in camera, generally more DoF if this close and see how far you can push the camera on ISO for SS.
TFS
Steve
Thank you so much Steve, this is the kind of feedback that keeps me coming back. I looked at it in LR and there is no cropping on the RHS. For some odd reason I pushed the rabbit's face right (in the original frame), and left his OOF body on the left. I think the "dreamy" edges are because of the +10 vignette (and shallow DoF). I was shooting wide open because I have this unfounded fear of shooting above ISO-800. Hopefully I'll get a close-up opportunity again with this rabbit for a second chance. Thanks again, feedback like this is invaluable.
Wish i could get this close to a cottontail. Raising the ISO and stopping down would of helped here. Agree with the others on this one.
Thanks John! If I ever get this close again I'll certainly use everyone's advice.
Daniel, change the metering Mode to - Matrix
I've just checked, so ISO you can push it it seems, apparently they say it can see 'in the dark' but try ISO 1600, 3200 & 6400 nothing to loose and everything thing to gain. Processing the files in LR is easy, it's building the confidence to know you can push things when needed, to retain SS & DoF to get the capture, don't sit on the fence and be afraid.
A fine image to start Daniel. I like the eye and that flower adds to the composition. You have some nice advice above, keep shooting & keep sharing.
I don't use matrix enough Steve (but I should). I keep my camera on center-weighted all the time and have spot set to my preview button to change quickly. I've shot plenty of non-wildlife stuff up to ISO-6400 and have been happy with the results. But with wildlife however, particularly birds, losing that subtle detail above ISO-1000 has always been a let down. My processing needs plenty of work, perhaps as I get better there, so will my comfort with highers ISOs. Provided the weather cooperates I'm going to be out shooting later. There should be an overcast layer so that will be a good opportunity to fool around with higher ISOs. I'm going to work on that tonight along with matrix metering. Thanks!Daniel, change the metering Mode to - Matrix
I've just checked, so ISO you can push it it seems, apparently they say it can see 'in the dark' but try ISO 1600, 3200 & 6400 nothing to loose and everything thing to gain. Processing the files in LR is easy, it's building the confidence to know you can push things when needed, to retain SS & DoF to get the capture, don't sit on the fence and be afraid.
Thanks Sanjeev!
Hi Daniel i do also welcome you to the wildlife forum ...
A nice first post you present .
Really like that eye and the tight head shot , even if being too tight a tiny fraction , i do think the whiskers should be there , right to their end.
The little flower is a nice addition . Overall i think you can throw in some more tone from the HL to the 3/4 tone ....but not globally . Just use a mask for the different tonal areas .
I think you have some colors a tiny bit too saturated ..i.e. oranges and blues , but some might like it , i think they have to be tamed .
Keep them coming .TFS Andreas
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