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Young Red Deer.
Taken at just after 6pm yesterday, max zoom and handheld. Dont think its too bad?
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For a handheld shot I think this is nice and sharp - the things that let it down for me are the composition and lighting. I think a lower angle would have benefited this shot greatly as the deer, as they are, seem to be disappearing into the background somewhat. The light is very flat too, but it does appear to be very overcast . To rectify this I would have planned the shoot for later on in the day to take advantage of the wonderful "golden hours" we are having now. It would have given you a great colour and picked the deer out nicely with lots of highlights, distinguishing them from the background.
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K
It was 6 pm any later and it would have been night, also if I had taken it lower down I would have photographed a brick wall which I was standing behind. As it was they were about 100 yards away
It was 6 pm any later and it would have been night, also if I had taken it lower down I would have photographed a brick wall which I was standing behind. As it was they were about 100 yards away
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My honest opinion, i think the image is flat and lifeless... sorry!
Ok so you couldn't get down low, but the image lacks contrast, your horizon is off level, ok so it was a handheld shot but nothing you could have fixed when you got home. Also with the tree smack bang in the middle of the picture... it just throws the image off for me so cropping could be a lot better.
Up the contrast and saturation to bring out the deer from the background and straighten the horizon.
If you didn't want a critique then you have put your photo in the wrong section!
Ok so you couldn't get down low, but the image lacks contrast, your horizon is off level, ok so it was a handheld shot but nothing you could have fixed when you got home. Also with the tree smack bang in the middle of the picture... it just throws the image off for me so cropping could be a lot better.
Up the contrast and saturation to bring out the deer from the background and straighten the horizon.
If you didn't want a critique then you have put your photo in the wrong section!
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You cant "plan" a shot of a wild animal that appears for a second or two half a field away from you!
In this instance Bazza didnt want to put the photo up I made him! I actually thought given the conditions and the fact it was grab your camera quick he did a pretty good job. I also dont think dramatically altering the colours makes it look better, my opinion of course, but the colours are as they were, the Deer are shedding, the earth is ploughed, the field beyond has dug up and turned in corn, so the colours are actually exactly as they are.
Im not making any excuses but have a pop at me this time, as I said it was me that thought the shot was worthy not Bazza. He actually wont post in this section anymore.
I have seen some worse shots in this section most recently that have recieved much praise, its a shame the same encouragement couldnt be given here.
In this instance Bazza didnt want to put the photo up I made him! I actually thought given the conditions and the fact it was grab your camera quick he did a pretty good job. I also dont think dramatically altering the colours makes it look better, my opinion of course, but the colours are as they were, the Deer are shedding, the earth is ploughed, the field beyond has dug up and turned in corn, so the colours are actually exactly as they are.
Im not making any excuses but have a pop at me this time, as I said it was me that thought the shot was worthy not Bazza. He actually wont post in this section anymore.
I have seen some worse shots in this section most recently that have recieved much praise, its a shame the same encouragement couldnt be given here.
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Dawn/Bazza - what monitor do you guys use? Sammy's edit is much better on mine here (it's not perfect mind as it is a little too sharp) and I agree that the colours seem flat in the original and the horizon is off.
However with the edit Sammy made I think it transforms the pic and shows that Bazza did have a good idea for the shot - I really like that tree in the middle (once cropped and straightened out) as it gives it a secondary focal point, which I like in photos.
The only problem is Sammy - we're not meant to edit people's pics unless they have the 'edit ok' box ticked (I had to PM Bazza about the same thing last week!). In this case I'll let Bazza decide if he wants it kept up or not - as I do think it is helpful to see.
All the critiques are valid as they are just people's opinions, I didn't see them as overly harsh - in the long run they'll help people in developing their skills.
Bazza - I'd like to see you get some more owl shots you did a great job on that one!
However with the edit Sammy made I think it transforms the pic and shows that Bazza did have a good idea for the shot - I really like that tree in the middle (once cropped and straightened out) as it gives it a secondary focal point, which I like in photos.
The only problem is Sammy - we're not meant to edit people's pics unless they have the 'edit ok' box ticked (I had to PM Bazza about the same thing last week!). In this case I'll let Bazza decide if he wants it kept up or not - as I do think it is helpful to see.
All the critiques are valid as they are just people's opinions, I didn't see them as overly harsh - in the long run they'll help people in developing their skills.
Bazza - I'd like to see you get some more owl shots you did a great job on that one!
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The colours are a little flat Azz, but thats how they are, those definitley are true to life colours, the edited colours may look a bit brighter, Im not disputing that, but they are not the colours of the animals or its surroundings. now people either post what they take, or they post something completley different. The horizon, well thats as it is too Im afraid, fields do slope, as is the case here.
Please dont think Im being rude here, its just Id of expected (after recent threads) for posters (all) to get the same encouragement, not just some, especially when their photos are obviously not perfect either. (certainly including mine!)
I do appreciate some may prefer to boost all their shots, change this, change that, but not all folk will feel this way, as I said I told Bazza to post the image, he had no intention of doing so.
Please dont think Im being rude here, its just Id of expected (after recent threads) for posters (all) to get the same encouragement, not just some, especially when their photos are obviously not perfect either. (certainly including mine!)
I do appreciate some may prefer to boost all their shots, change this, change that, but not all folk will feel this way, as I said I told Bazza to post the image, he had no intention of doing so.
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I don't think you are being rude at all Dawn (and I hope you don't think I am 
).
If something is not quite right people should say - so the person can take that on board and bear it in mind for the future, ie learn from it. Re encouraging comments, I think a lot of it is to do with where the image was posted. Here, in the AOP section the standards are higher, and that may be reflected in people's critiques (and I take full responsibility for that).
I don't mean to offend Bazza, but this photo isn't AAA, even something as simple as the horizon isn't straight and I'd probably have posted it in General if it were one of mine. His owl shot on the other hand, I thought was brilliant!
Perhaps we need to re-jig the sections again, as I don't think the current set-up is working as well as it could, to be honest.
I'll post some suggestions about it in another thread later.
).If something is not quite right people should say - so the person can take that on board and bear it in mind for the future, ie learn from it. Re encouraging comments, I think a lot of it is to do with where the image was posted. Here, in the AOP section the standards are higher, and that may be reflected in people's critiques (and I take full responsibility for that).
I don't mean to offend Bazza, but this photo isn't AAA, even something as simple as the horizon isn't straight and I'd probably have posted it in General if it were one of mine. His owl shot on the other hand, I thought was brilliant!
Perhaps we need to re-jig the sections again, as I don't think the current set-up is working as well as it could, to be honest.
I'll post some suggestions about it in another thread later.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Azz
I don't think you are being rude at all Dawn (and I hope you don't think I am ).
If something is not quite right people should say - so the person can take that on board and bear it in mind for the future, ie learn from it. Re encouraging comments, I think a lot of it is to do with where the image was posted. Here, in the AOP section the standards are higher, and that may be reflected in people's critiques (and I take full responsibility for that).
I don't mean to offend Bazza, but this photo isn't AAA, even something as simple as the horizon isn't straight and I'd probably have posted it in General if it were one of mine. His owl shot on the other hand, I thought was brilliant!
Perhaps we need to re-jig the sections again, as I don't think the current set-up is working as well as it could, to be honest.
I'll post some suggestions about it in another thread later.
).If something is not quite right people should say - so the person can take that on board and bear it in mind for the future, ie learn from it. Re encouraging comments, I think a lot of it is to do with where the image was posted. Here, in the AOP section the standards are higher, and that may be reflected in people's critiques (and I take full responsibility for that).
I don't mean to offend Bazza, but this photo isn't AAA, even something as simple as the horizon isn't straight and I'd probably have posted it in General if it were one of mine. His owl shot on the other hand, I thought was brilliant!
Perhaps we need to re-jig the sections again, as I don't think the current set-up is working as well as it could, to be honest.
I'll post some suggestions about it in another thread later.
)I think it comes down to photography being individual peoples preferences, I prefer to see things how they are, not how we can make them look, perhaps I was wrong to think Bazzas photo was a nice one, but I still stand by "my" feelings, I like the shot. I think similar feelings were expressed on the "other" thread, just people saying how they feel I suppose.
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I think one of the biggest problems about giving critiques is that those doing so have no idea of the circumstances the pictures are taken under. I would make the same comments as SAM more than likely, and also try to "up" the picture as well. This is where critiques fall down, even with the best intentions.
For example,
If one took a photo of the sea splashing on the rocks, looking at the photo someone may suggest it would look a little better if the photographer got a little closer. What the person would not be aware of is that by getting a little closer the photographer may be in 50 ft of deep raging surf and be killed.
As Azz knows I am not in favour of critiques as such for exactly this reason.
Dawn has already responded to the comments and knows the circumstances the photo was taken in.
One comment I would like to make is about horizons. If you take a photo of the side of a hill, would you try and make it level by turning the picture 45%? no of course you wouldn't.
Extreme example but emphises the point.
Its the same with any landscape, not every one is level, as might be the horizon on the sea. It would make a difference when taking photos of buildings for example, you wouldn't want to think they are about to fall over.
Something worth taking note of before commenting on horizons.
Of course there may be some out there that still believe in the flat earth theory.
Ok having said all that yes helpful hints and tips I am all in favour of, such as getting onto the same level as a pet for a better angle, or avoiding a tree sprouting out of the back of a head, but out and out seriously deep critiques I feel can do more damage than good.
No one is an expert and everyone sees things in a different way
Bazza
For example,
If one took a photo of the sea splashing on the rocks, looking at the photo someone may suggest it would look a little better if the photographer got a little closer. What the person would not be aware of is that by getting a little closer the photographer may be in 50 ft of deep raging surf and be killed.
As Azz knows I am not in favour of critiques as such for exactly this reason.
Dawn has already responded to the comments and knows the circumstances the photo was taken in.
One comment I would like to make is about horizons. If you take a photo of the side of a hill, would you try and make it level by turning the picture 45%? no of course you wouldn't.
Extreme example but emphises the point.
Its the same with any landscape, not every one is level, as might be the horizon on the sea. It would make a difference when taking photos of buildings for example, you wouldn't want to think they are about to fall over.
Something worth taking note of before commenting on horizons.
Of course there may be some out there that still believe in the flat earth theory.
Ok having said all that yes helpful hints and tips I am all in favour of, such as getting onto the same level as a pet for a better angle, or avoiding a tree sprouting out of the back of a head, but out and out seriously deep critiques I feel can do more damage than good.
No one is an expert and everyone sees things in a different way
Bazza