SANParks.org Forums

Dead right francoisd! It feels like you fly in a chopper. It is one of my favourite hides in the Park though.

Thanks guys. Zeez DQ, you are getting technical here. I hope I caught your drift.


Thanks alot!
WTM

Looks like y use autofocus with centre focussing
If so, try to activate the autofocuspanels to the right or left

Sorry for coming in this late - I'm still catching up after being "absent" for a while...

Good picture(I mean it...don't remove me )

I normally do not tamper with a photo's originality but sometimes cannot resist PS's tricks. After doing the "normal" Image/Adjustments/.. , try the following:

1. Flip the pic horizontally(**will explain why)
2. Tightly crop the bird into a portrait to emphasize its hight leaving the same space its beak takes up to the right(space to look/stare into).
3. Size the image to at least A4 (300dpi minimum) and save to maximum size.
4. Now go and print it (If you are not impressed I'll pay the cost of the printing...serious )

** The reason why I recommend to rotate the pic horizontally is that our western civilisation has adopted the "ready to read" state when picking up anything to read. That is: eyes are immediately fixed in the upper left corner ready to start reading. The same applies when one starts looking at a picture - unless there is a very strong focal point in the pic to distract\attract the eyes immediately.

When the bird faces to the right, the normal flow of the eye will follow its stare to the right. That's why one needs to leave a bit of space to the right for the bird, as well as you, to look into.

Ever tried reading arabic? You start at the left recognising nothing and then one's eyes automatically move to the right searching for something familiar....

(And for the printing - a pic only comes to its right when printed to a proper size.)

Comments and advice please guys!

I like the top picture,maybe flip it if you wanna cheat a bit.

the bottom one is bloody awesome! It's a pity you didn't get the last impala's eyes in as well otherwise it woulda been perfect.

But I am no photographer, so now over to the experts

Skip the thought of flipping the top photo, it looks yucky!! As it is it works better as the image flows in nicely from the left into the right of the picture

I think both pics are great, real Kruger, I don't like the touched up perfect pics, that is not what you see in true life.
I am a photographers nightmare

I'm with you, Freda ! I even keep overexposed frames and ones that are slightly out of focus if they are a part of the whole story sequence.

My two cents:
With the first one I have only one little problem, you miss the top of the left ear. I would have zoomed out a little if I had the chance. If that wasn't possible I would probably have aimed a little higher so the ear is in the frame, and less of the chest. Not entirely sure of that, for it would change the photo quite a bit. So if this is the compromise it worked out great. Nice DoF (Depth of Field) as well.

With the second I would definitely have cut out a bit of the foreground, thus giving you more impalabacks, and slightly more to the left. Basicly in such a way that you see at least the front impala in full.

Lovely colors BTW.

Thanks very much DQ - I printed them the other day and then only noticed exactly what you commented on. Looking at them on the screen I never noticed that. The first one looked all wrong with the bit of ear missing and the second with the impala's back cut off. Things I never gave thought to when taking the pics. Some much to think about when taking a pic

I shot them in raw and then used a very nice programme from a friend to set the white bal. and that was all.

Just really, really good I think. And very clear. Agree that it would have been nice with a little more of the most backward Impala for the second photo, but that's just my taste

As for the first photo I do not agree that you need to include all of the ears. Sometimes this effect of not having all the animal or all of the face in the photo makes a very nice effect.

Example:

Very good, DB!

Very nice pics, I especially like the colours. What programme did you use? if you don't mind me asking.

Two very very nice pics DB! You definately have an eye for capturing a scene! If I may give my constructive input:

Both photo's could be improved (subjective point obviously) by including the chopped off bits. The ear of the impala would have completed it for me in the first one. The second one by zooming out a bit or including more of the impalas on the left and less grass on the right and also lifting the camera a bit to include their backs.
Again, just my input and let me say again brilliant photo's and beautiful subjects.

bwana

Capture One


@ Bwana - thanks for the input. I am still learning to think of all these things when taking a pic

Whow! For me it seems very special pics. The light and colours looks alive. Because it is a little bit out of focus, it looks like in real motion. Sorry, i can't get the real english words for this.

Someone like this pic, one of my favourites, not shot by me:

OK, not this fast motion, but i feel the same to the pics