Hello everyone,
I've finally become a member of this form and am posting my first image. I have been an avid photographer for about a year and a half and have been following this forum (and been learning a lot) for a while now.
Any C&C would be appreciated!
I edited this photo with Aperture and here are the adjustments I made:
crop (from bottom, left and top)
retouch (a white spot in the eye and some of the background)
are any of these retouches obvious?
the loon was shot in Algonquin park, Ontario, Canada last June
ISO 400
SS 1/320
0 ev
f/5.6
Nikon D300s + VR 80-400 @ 400mm
Big welcome to BPN Avian, Alvan. Great image to start posting with. Going away pose work well with the HA turned toward you. Great low angle and the greens on the water and echoed in the iridescence of the head are lovely. The image looks well focussed but looks a little soft so maybe just an issue of a touch more sharpening for web - I am on a bad monitor at work so this may not be a fair comment. Looking forward to more of your images.
Welcome to BPN, Alvan! Very nice first post, I like the angle, eye contact and color of the water. I agree with Tony regarding more sharpening and I would tone down the whites more.
A big welcome to BPN. Nice first post, with good critiques above. Were you shooting from a boat/canoe/kayak? Good job at that shutter speed.
With that equipment, I wouldn't hesitate to push the ISO up a bit to get a little more shutter speed to work with, and also a bit smaller f/stop, since that is certainly that lenses weak spot, wide open, full zoom.
Look forward to more. I have been known to post a few loon images, and always appreciate seeing more.
Welcome to BPN, Alvan and a nice first post. Lovely light on the bird, nice BG, good EXP, although as mentioned above just a little soft. The image needs just a little CCW rotation, easily done in Aperture. Keep 'em coming!
Big welcome to BPN Alvan!! Great first subject you present us. I agree with all the comments and advice above so I won't repeat them all, but I will mention that the two main issues for me upon first viewing the image were CCW roation needed, and an extra round of sharpening for web presentation.
thanks everyone for your advice, I've gone back and re-edited the photograph and it already looks much better.
and I've already used what I've learned in some of my other photos, hopefully that will show in my future posts.
@Randy: It was shot from a canoe! Very Canadian :)
Common Loon portrait
Reply With Quote
