Here's looking at you

[Marie Hass]

Please provide feedback in terms of composition, color, Dof.


_MG_3102m by mariehass, on Flickr

My concern is that DoF may still be a bit too shallow. I had aperature set on f9 and I was using my 550D closeup lens on my 70-200 2.8.

Overall color in RAW was quite yellow (full sun) so I adjusted the sliders a bit to make the image a tad cooler.

I also did crop about 1/4 all the way around, and placed the image where I thought would be more pleasing.

I sharpened the eye a touch to make it stand out.

Your opinions?


Marie

[Clive Kirby]

Whether the DoF is shallow depends on what you wanted from the image. For a nature magazine type shot - then yes. Personally I really like it as it is. A deeper DoF would bring more of the wings into sharper focus and begin to distract from the head of the butterfly instead of leading you into the image. Great rich colours, but any more would be overwhelming, so I think you did right to cool it down a bit. The crop fits the image naturally into the frame. Thanks for posting - I enjoyed this image.

[terrib]

I like the DOF. The most important parts are in focus and the rest is personal taste or intent. The colors are pretty and don't seem out of line and since there are many "right answers" I think it's good. It's a pleasing image.

[SpiderBob]

The eye would be my concern, and it seems you have that. For my taste, it would be just a bit dark, but as I said that is taste. Nice picture.

[Geoff F]

You won't get a butterfly totally focused from that angle, Marie, no matter what you do. At least not without taking a series of different focus points then stacking the images together.

I usually shoot around F14 or F16 with a macro lens and still have to move around to find an acceptable angle. Usually from above or a side view with the wings closed.

Your options are to accept what you have here or crop tighter from the top and left side in particular to lose some of the out of focus wings in order to concentrate more on the sharper focused head area.

[Marie Hass]

Thanks for commenting, Clive, Terri, Bob and Geoff,

Bob, I agree it was dark, but as I lightened the image up, it started to look awfully busy?

Geoff, your suggestion for a tighter crop may take care of that problem. Thanks for the shooting suggestion for better DoF.

Marie

[Steve S]

I think you have done very well , marie. A very nice image, and composition.