*OFFICIAL* Snapshot of the Day (one image per post please) #1

[ArtistikD]

another rolling shot

[Weebl]

Um... I guess that is how some people make their money and their other rides?
pic removed
NVM, I thought it was a badger.

[TL]

Leighton Marissa Meester by GQjai, on Flickr

[Chewy734]

why is she covering herself?

[The1]

Originally Posted by Chewy734

why is she covering herself?

I think because tim was exposing himself

[Chewy734]

damnit Tim!

[dcstep]

I went out hunting for osprey today up in Summit County, Colorado and didn't see a single large bird, but this little lady posed nicely for me. Shot at 1/6400 second to stop the wings:


Rufous hummingbird (female) sizes up a wildflower by dcstep, on Flickr

My post-processing is usually limted to cropping and setting the color, contrast, vibrancy, etc. as part of RAW conversion. I used to do things like add an eye-light, clone out a twig and few things like that, but I've gone to taking many shots until I get what I want and I throw away all the others. I suppose if it was a once in a life time subject and I somehow screwed up I'd try to rescue it in PS. (I own PS, but use it only two or three times per year). Here I just used one of my RAW conversion Presets cropped in a square crop to focus mainly on the bird.

Dave

[Chewy734]

damn Dave... that's one of the best photos I've seen from you (and that's saying something)! The flower petals almost look 3D and everything is super sharp!

[Litos]

Originally Posted by ArtistikD

another rolling shot

hope you don't mind

[Weebl]

Dave,
I've sat in front of my house trying to get one of the Annas and none come close to this. Excellent shot.
I made the mistake of clicking on your Flickr and looking at your "interesting shots". Note to self, visit Dave, kidnap him and hold him for ransom from Getty images. I hope you submit some of those to magazines, you really need to share them with the world.

[M_Six]

Killer shot, Dave.

I saw a nice hummingbird shot on POTN the other day, but the photog said he used a flash. Not sure if that's good for the bird at that range.

[The1]

beauty dave... nice getting a good high shutter speed with only 800 ISO

[rodi]

nice, Dave!!!! great color patterns - foreground and background!

[dcstep]

Thanks guys. I really appreciate the positive comments from some talented photographers.

[dcstep]

Originally Posted by Weebl

Dave,
I've sat in front of my house trying to get one of the Annas and none come close to this. Excellent shot.
I made the mistake of clicking on your Flickr and looking at your "interesting shots". Note to self, visit Dave, kidnap him and hold him for ransom from Getty images. I hope you submit some of those to magazines, you really need to share them with the world.

Kevin, thanks for looking at my Flickr site. Yes, I've gotten few pix in use at Cornell Ornithology Lab and some other sites with my permission. I've entered just a couple of contests, but I plan to scale that up.

About your Annas, did you take 200 to 300 shots with the light behind you? That's been one key that I've found to getting images like this, with the light in the eye, super focus, great colors and super bokeh. With hummers I shoot some with a "slower" speed, like 1/800th and some like this at over 1/3000th. I think both produce equally interesting images.

With these little guys, they move so much in and out and behind twigs, etc. that a bunch will be out of focus. With the light behind you you'll get the best feather detail and good possibility of an eye light. Anyway, with wildlife the "keeper ratio" is important. Don't shoot like you're doing scenics or family portraits and try to make each one perfect. Realize that the perfect pose will likely be something that you can't see with the naked eye.

Keep trying.

Dave

[Weebl]

Dave, Cornell is quite an achievement. That is my "go to" site for certain information on cats and I am sure their ornithology dept. is comparable. Since I will shoot from 6-10 feet away my DOF is very thin so I will have to shoot fast to get a couple with different focus points per hover.
The ones I like the most are when you can see their tongues hanging out

[ArtistikD]

Originally Posted by Litos

hope you don't mind

haha i don't mind at all but just might be a little over saturated for my taste
and DAVE! MAGNIFICENT SHOT BROHAM!

[ArtistikD]

[Weebl]

Originally Posted by ArtistikD

haha i don't mind at all but just might be a little over saturated for my taste
and DAVE! MAGNIFICENT SHOT BROHAM!

Are you PP your photos? The two photos you have posted are kind of flat, like they were taken with print film and converted. Have you calibrated your monitor, if not that is probably why they will look over saturated. The rolling shot does not look over saturated.
The second on if you have it, her fingers would be nice to have there also and maybe clone out that tag/bathing suit bright blue. A real cute photo, good one for an ad.

[The1]

Originally Posted by Weebl

Are you PP your photos? The two photos you have posted are kind of flat, like they were taken with print film and converted. Have you calibrated your monitor, if not that is probably why they will look over saturated. The rolling shot does not look over saturated.
The second on if you have it, her fingers would be nice to have there also and maybe clone out that tag/bathing suit bright blue. A real cute photo, good one for an ad.

I'm wondering the same.... Litos does tend towards high saturation, but i think he restrained himself quite a bit when he redid yours. are you photo editing on a TV? if so go to the colour function and see how high the level is.

it could all be down to your monitor.

[ArtistikD]

I'm using a macbook pro 13 and yea i noticed it did seem like my picture was a little dull but the one that lito redid was just over saturated for my taste,
and i see what you mean with the bright blue bathing suit

[The1]

Originally Posted by ArtistikD

I'm using a macbook pro 13 and yea i noticed it did seem like my picture was a little dull but the one that lito redid was just over saturated for my taste,
and i see what you mean with the bright blue bathing suit

cool, just gotta find a happy medium. It's a great shot.

so is the bathing suit girl.

Can't believe Weebl caught the tag!!! he must have been staring at the picture for a while i guess.