Dragon head

[Potatis]

I've posted this sort of thing before, but I am posting this one anyway.


Taken today.

[Glen]

Doug, nice

[Potatis]

Thanks Glen.

[sheepie]

Really like the clarity and glint in the eye - the depth of field you have there accentuates this - well done

[petermmc]

Great photo. They dont smile much. Is it a water dragon?

They are particularly difficult to photo as they are so jumpy. If its not a water dragon the comment still applies.

Would look good 'blown up' on a wall.

Peter Mc

[mudder]

G'day Doug,
Really like this, seems sharp and detailed with great seperation from teh background... One question, couldn't get EXIF and was wondering about how far away you were and the focal length/aperture as the DOF seems REALLY shallow... Was the glint in the eye from flash?

[Potatis]

Thanks Sheepie. Like any portrait, I try to get the eyes as sharp as I can. To me, everything else matters less.

Yes Peter, it is a water dragon. This one did stay still for a long time. I was with this fellow for more than half an hour, and saw about 8 or 9 other ones. This one was very still, I got lots of sharp images even though the photos were handheld, mostly zoomed to 300mm. Blown up large would look good. This photo at 100% is much bigger than this crop, and looks good.

Thanks for your comment mudder. I definately didn't use flash. I very rarely use flash, and with bright daylight, I was surely too far away for any flash to matter anyway. I guess I was about 10 metres away from the water dragon.

Here's all the exif I have, disregard any info you don't need:

Image description
Artist
Copyright
Make NIKON CORPORATION
User comment
Model NIKON D70
Orientation upper left
X resolution 300
Y resolution 300
Software Adobe Photoshop CS2 Windows
Datetime 2005:09:20 18:28:33
Exposure time 1/1000 s
F-number 6
Exposure program Manual
ISO speed ratings 200
Date/time original 2005:09:20 13:56:02
Shutter speed value 0.001000 s
Aperture value 5.16993
Exposure bias value 0
Max. aperture value 5
Metering mode Pattern
Flash No
Focal length 300 mm
Colorspace sRGB
Pixel X dimension 652
Pixel Y dimension 502

[leek]

That's a great shot Potatis... Good detail and good boke

Someone once told me that if you're in the bush and you hear a rustle and then a splash - it's a water dragon... If you hear just a rustle - it's probably a snake...

[Potatis]

 LOL I'll try to remember that, John. However the water was a long drop down, if the water dragon wanted to jump in. It'd have to be a 50 foot drop from where these photos were taken. I sure heard lot of rustling from these things, and rabbits too. I'll keep an eye out for snakes. I haven't photographed one in the wild before.

[marcus]

Oooohhh Yeah! DOF is sensational!! I'm certainly no expert in the EXIF stuff, so can you tell me the flash details?
(Got new SB800 a few weeks ago & am willing to learn).

[Potatis]

Hi there Marcus, I'm pleased you like the photo.

I took this photo at around 2pm this afternoon, so I didn't use flash, just the sun. I almost never use flash, but if I had an SB-800 I would. They are very expensive though. I'm sure plenty of people around here can give you good tips on how to use it.

[Geoff]

Beautifully sharp and clear! Well done Doug!

[marcus]

Hi Potatis, I used it seriously for the first time here: http://www.d70users.net/viewtopic.php?t=9412&highlight=
and I think it did OK. But I did get some good feedback in relation to shadows and DOF.

Great shot!

[Potatis]

Thanks Geoff, I really appreciate your comment.

Marcus those photos are excellent! You've used the flash well in those bright conditions. The water dragon I photographed here had some shade from some leaves, so the lighting isn't too bad. I've taken some photos in the sort of bright daylight you took your photos in, and my photos looked really dreadful. Very harsh. The SB800 is definately on my shopping list, but it will be a looong time before I can buy it.

[marcus]

Buy it from a reputable dealer (with warranty) over the net and you will get a good deal...........shop around. BTW thanks for your comments on the photos!

[moggy]

Great shot Doug, nice and sharp and good DOF.

Bob.

[Potatis]

Thanks for your comment, Bob!

[Aussie Dave]

Nice photo Doug...well done. The only downfall I see is that the nose is slightly OOF, but doesn't detract from the image a great deal. Good work.

As for the SB800, you have to get yourself one. You will wonder how you ever did without it ! At 300mm @ f6 (ISO200), the flash range is just over 4 metres (according to the user manual). To cover the 10 metres, you'd be looking to bump up the ISO to 1600.....however this is using the SB800 on camera. Using the SB800 in remote-mode (off-camera), you could set it up about half way between you and the water dragon and the flash should work it's magic.....not that your photo really needed flash....just giving you an idea on it's versatility.

I sound like a Nikon Speedlight salesman, don't I I think my sound approval of the SB800 is well documented in previous threads

[Potatis]

Thanks Aussie Dave!

I hear ya, about the SB800. I really think I should have it. I've read rave reviews about it for months. It'd be great to get within four metres of a water dragon to set up the flash, without it scooting off. Handy for photographing people though. There's a lens I think I'll get before I get the SB800, because I think a lens is more useful to me. My lenses are just cheap budget things, and I'm lacking a high quality lens for portrait work. In the mean time, if ever one of these expensive SB800s is put up as a competition prize, I will try really REAAALLY hard.