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Patrick Ziegler
{K:21797} 5/24/2005
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Hey James, I agree with you on the DOF issue with this photo. It was not a composational decision on my part. More so a decision based on available light and trying to avoid camera shack. I notice the deer as I was drive the Badlands loop so I was stopped on the highway and had little time to set up. Yes, A tripod and f/11 would have produce a better shot had the deer cooperated... I am happy with 5.5 on this one. It's an acurate rating.
A few of my favorite wildlife shots
http://www.usefilm.com/image/760063.html
http://www.usefilm.com/image/699238.html
http://www.usefilm.com/image/717797.html
http://www.usefilm.com/image/718900.html
No, I am off to study the photos you mentioned in your portfolio..
And thanks as allways for an honest reveiw!
PZ
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James Hager
{K:6285} 5/23/2005
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Me again Pat. My recent post of the line of elephants shows a fairly successful, IMHO, :) shot of wildlife and their environment. The elephants are clearly the subject, and the background (environment) is in pretty good focus, and it also doesn't compete with the subject. An "ideal" background for making a wildlife subject stand out can be seen in my recent "Superb Starling" and "Lilac-Breasted Roller." In both of these, the background is roughly uniform and way out of focus and lets the subject really stand out. My "Leopard Standing on a Log" doesn't have a great background. It has a lot of contrast which competes a bit with the subject, but because it's really out of focus, still lets the subject stand out, though not as well as if the background was more uniform. Hope this helps.
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James Hager
{K:6285} 5/23/2005
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Hi Pat. I've been thinking about this image some more. The idea behind blurring the background of wildlife shots is to make the wildlife stand out. In this image, the background is way too dominant, both because of the dramatic lighting and form, and also because it's only slightly out of focus which lets a lot of detail still be seen. The best non-distracting backgrounds have nearly uniform color and are significantly far away so that they become completely blurry and don't compete with the subject.
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James Hager
{K:6285} 5/23/2005
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This is the second image I remember looking at Pat. The thumbnail was striking with the dramatic light on the hills. When I opened it up, what had attracted my eye was terribly out of focus. I suppose if I had seen the image full size at first, that wouldn't have bothered me, but it was like the subject, or at least a major part of the composition, was out of focus, and, oh by the way, there's a deer down at the bottom. Ok, now to give some positive info. The general rule is, like you have applied, to have the subject (the deer in this case) in focus and the background out of focus so that the subject stands out from the background. In this case, the size of the subject, in comparison to the background, and especially such a dramatic background, calls for a different rule to be applied. Namely, if the shot is of an animal and it's environment, make sure the environment is in focus. In order for this image to work for me, the deer should be a bit larger and closer to the lower left corner to give it space to walk forward, and it should have its head up, and the background should be much more in focus.
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Stephen Bowden
{K:64141} 5/21/2005
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Lovely photograph Pat, the deer is lovely and sharp and I like the background very much. I can just imagine how fast that shadow must have been moving across the hills in the background.
Best wishes,
Steve
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Judi Liosatos
{K:34047} 5/18/2005
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I like the clarity and focus of the deer whilst leaving the background slightly in a haze effect. Well done.
Judi
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Konstantin Yudintsev
{K:3253} 5/17/2005
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Pat! Don't take it to heart! Just wrong timing. He, he...
I enjoy wildlife very much and I know what it takes. In this one, I like the crispness of the FG. The BG makes you realise they're no coffeshops in the vicinity (hey, maybe I am wrong here lol)
What kind of deers is this. I am not very well familiar with NA wild game except sheep and snow goat.
Cheers!
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Patrick Ziegler
{K:21797} 5/17/2005
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Thanks Fadel, Neither question nor quiz. I re titled after it fell of the front page with zero views. I was frustrated. Esspecially when it was surronded by family vacation snap shots that where getting several views and here this sat wit a big fat "0".
I don't think there is anything wrong with it and thanks for taking the time to look at it.
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Fadel J
{K:13974} 5/17/2005
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Not sure if this is a question or a quiz Pat, but I like the composition a lot, probably too dark shadow in the background?
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