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I have been out and about and have been busy over the last two weeks so I thought I would get some critique for some of the shots that I like.

From The Walls - Kanangra Boyd NP (USYD Biology Field Trip)

Fuji S5 Pro - 9 frame HDR


From my trip down to Kiama

Nikon D60 - single shot hand held


From my trip down to Hobart
D60 + Nikkor 24-70


D60 + 70-200mm VR - the lens is let down by the camera...it is not really sharp enough at high RES but I really like this image

Cameron, nice to see some pictures from you.

I like the #1 and 3# for their compositions.

I would suggest
#1 crop from top and bottom to get rid of the leaves, contrasty BW
#3 BW conversion all the way!

I must say as someone who is not normally a fan of DR you have used it to perfection in #1. It has lovely colour and contrast without that "HDR look". Nice work.

dawesy wrote:I must say as someone who is not normally a fan of DR you have used it to perfection in #1. It has lovely colour and contrast without that "HDR look". Nice work.

Thanks Dawesy, I am like yourself, I dislike the 'HDR-look' hence when I do use the technique i strive to bring out more Dynamic range whilst keeping it looking natural.

in case you were interested, this is a single, metered, image from the S5 Pro shot a few minutes before the HDR bracket

You were lucky to score a clear day from the top of Hobart Hill.

I have pretty much an identical shot to that one but without the clarity.

Did you venture up there for a sunrise or sunset?

Like the first as well

Jenno wrote:You were lucky to score a clear day from the top of Hobart Hill.

I have pretty much an identical shot to that one but without the clarity.

Did you venture up there for a sunrise or sunset?

Like the first as well

Thanks Jenno

unfortunately as I was at the mercy of tour buses (I dont drive) I could not go up there for sunrise/sunset although i could imagine that being simply spectacular. I was very lucky to have such a clear day....

here's another, this time shot with the Tokina 10-17mm Fisheye at 10mm

Whoa! the fish eye shots includes alot of detail. Probably not just to show it in a tiny 800 pix that you do here. Might be nice printed large.

Did you de-fish it?

surenj wrote:Whoa! the fish eye shots includes alot of detail. Probably not just to show it in a tiny 800 pix that you do here. Might be nice printed large.

Did you de-fish it?

no de-fish just placement of the composition to hide some of the fishy effect - note the horizon in the centre...

tour buses (I dont drive)

I hear there are very nice walks UP the mountain

I was expecting some panos from tehre Cam!

Fuji S5 Pro - 9 frame HDR

Thats a lot of shots! I assume this was processed with Photomatix? I find that quite often the software will often saturate the image and I can almost replicate a similiar non HDR look in capture NX using d-lighting contrast, warmth and saturation.

biggerry wrote:

tour buses (I dont drive)

I hear there are very nice walks UP the mountain

I was expecting some panos from tehre Cam!

Fuji S5 Pro - 9 frame HDR

Thats a lot of shots! I assume this was processed with Photomatix? I find that quite often the software will often saturate the image and I can almost replicate a similiar non HDR look in capture NX using d-lighting contrast, warmth and saturation.

I was thinking about a walk up there...as for a panos....well let me get off my arse and get some up first....soon my friend.

Yep Photomattix was used to do the HDR, and I do know what you mean by super saturation of the images by HDR (I hate this myself, but some like it). I cant seem to get quite the same effect with Capture NX2, and shot from the S5 are a no go in anything by FinePix Studio (and that program sucks) so the RAF is not very useful in NX.

I like these Cameron.
I agree that your ability to hold back the HDR is great.
You have been unlucky with gear but blessed with the weather. Go figure.

colin_12 wrote:I agree that your ability to hold back the HDR is great.

What's the secret to your processing Cameron?

surenj wrote:

colin_12 wrote:I agree that your ability to hold back the HDR is great.

What's the secret to your processing Cameron?

No real secret, the HDR bracket set came out of Photomattix tone map with a fairly natural look, but I adjusted the colour saturation as well as the balance slightly to hold back the HDR after increasing the dynamic range of the image. I guess I got lucky with these files.

awesome blue mountains shot
never seen that angle before

wendellt wrote:awesome blue mountains shot
never seen that angle before

Thanks Wendell, coming from you it means heaps...your work is sooo good. It is not really another angle, but actually another hunk of rock. Kanangra Boyd NP (and Kanangra Walls) is out past the Jenolan caves.

I like the first three photos as they are, despite their postcard look. However, I feel a bit of judicious croping may help the forth one. As we seen so many time before in this forum, a bird image in plain flight doesn't need to be pin sharp to be good but in this case there is too much space and your eyes needs to search for the bird; it should be the other way round. I would even go as far as flip the image to the oposite direction, if it improves it.

The landscapes are neat. Dawn or dusk light (not the middle on obviously) would elevate them even to a higher level.

As far as that White-bellied Sea Eagle is concerned, it would look great if it were flying toward you not away. It's nice for an ID image and great at that, but aesthetically from a bird photography perspective it's kind of the one that's gotten away. Birds are very challenging indeed.

Niniox wrote:The landscapes are neat. Dawn or dusk light (not the middle on obviously) would elevate them even to a higher level.

As far as that White-bellied Sea Eagle is concerned, it would look great if it were flying toward you not away. It's nice for an ID image and great at that, but aesthetically from a bird photography perspective it's kind of the one that's gotten away. Birds are very challenging indeed.

Thanks....I was very happy to get the Eagle as it was, but I do know what you mean about the one that got away...

Dude.. loving that second shot out of the D60... great skies =D