Birds...for C&C please...

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Originally Posted by Bobobird

Very nice set. I like 1,2 and 5. Titles are fine too. hehe

You may want to consider how you sharpen. #1 is fine, #2 is somewhat too much, #5 too much.

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Thank you Ole and Bobo...one of your special appearance. I've missed you.

Ole...you are the second one who said that smallist bird is a heron. I like this one because the feather colouring is very much pronounced and not as bland as the other yellowish one. I am glad you enjoyed my images.

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Originally Posted by Rob Ekins

You crack me up Izzie!:)

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Thank you, Rob -- I am glad you enjoyed my titles. One goal accomplished at least..:p

Thank you to you too, Tony. I did not think of it that way but you gave me something to think about next time. The only thing I did not do is give them a people name perhaps or I would have been sorry not to bring them home with me...a big no-no or I will be forced to buy my own zoo. :D

Thanks Randy...I was shooting Shutter Priority...even if it says in my EXIF Auto mode..so my compensations are all OK apart from my Output sharpening. I will leave Nik's sharpening on my next loads of submission from now on...

Thanks Sam...

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Originally Posted by chauncey

Izzie, there is no doubt that they are nice/great images, but...I feel a rant a coming.

When Tony said this "It's a bit like street photography but on water", it struck me as being true.
It's what I've done for years...to the point that I find it boring, yet, I lack the vision to do better,
however "better" might defined. Nonetheless, it does gnaw at me.

Perhaps, you could tell me what's next.

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My DIL whom I gave my DX camera to (D300s) actually made me think when we were at the ape area...she called me and said, "Look Mom, the scene is much better here. You can see the family all together." She actually gave me something to think about my shooting.

William I think there is no end in a genre whatever one chooses. I think you'd think you had exhausted a subject, but actually one hasn't...in my mind, like my food photography, I thoroughly enjoyed it very much while it lasted and I haven't been back since but looking at it now, I want to go back once I got more small toys to prop them again. My daughter and young son decided that their mother is going back to her childhood so will collect some toys for me when I go back. There are so many ways to skin a cat so to speak...your flowers and smokes have endless possibilities too. Studio work just never ends even if one is not as mobile as before, if you know what I mean...I will probably die taking pictures. :D

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Originally Posted by Urbanflyer

Love them all! #5 cropped to reduce the area at the back of the heron could be considered. Glad you had fun with these!

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Thank you Judith...One more heron and I will scream...LOL...I thoroughly enjoyed myself that day...

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Originally Posted by carloshpvp

I liked the images a lot. The street-like photography commentary made sense to me too. I wouldn't have any additional C&C to the ones already given, so it's only left to me to congratulate you for the pics and the inspiring titles.

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Thanks Carlos...I guess that can be called animal "Street Photography" just because we are people. :p If you look at some titles around here in CiC they can be inspirational too like those one of the many John's or Geoff's around here. I am just following a trend so to speak.

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Originally Posted by NorthernFocus

Very entertaining, Izzie. Looks like you were having fun both shooting and editing the photos. The first shot of the black duck is really excellent. As others have pointed out the last one is way over sharpened.

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Yes...I really did enjoyed editing those photographs and experimenting on Nik's output sharpener, I should had stopped right there at the first image...I'll give you permission to up-slapped me at the back of the head persevering on doing the wrong thing. OK? :p

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Originally Posted by Wavelength

They are all really enjoyable shots, none to keep aside :)..and I am sure the one in the first image is smiling at you, I am sure ;)

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Well...I am smiling too because I was looking at it like a good candidate for Peking Duck...:eek: Thank you Nandy...

Thank you all very much for commenting and critiquing...I thoroughly enjoyed the interaction. I am looking forward to giving back some compliments and critiques on your posts too.

Hi Izzie,

I'll revert to my usual and respond not having read everyone else's posts and your responses yet.
Therefore, accept my apologies for any repetition, just take it as another vote for the same ;)

#1 - Nice exposure and colour

#2 - Slightly over exposed and too contrasty, especially compared to #1

#3 - This pose doesn't work so well for me, also it seems noisier

#4 - The exposure, contrast and colours all buck the trend of the rest of the series, my least favourite

#5 - Convention says that there should be more space in front than behind, and it is true that a crop to a vertical format does work, but I think I can see why you chose this composition; it is as if s/he's turned their back on the world and are sulking - as such, the negative space behind works well. I like the colours and exposure, but it is soooooo noisy.

It's "Harsh time" Izzie, I've been quite restrained recently, haven't I, I must be going soft - or you're getting better ;)
In several I think you applied overall (rather than selective) sharpening, and compounded this with no regard for the noise levels (in each) when setting the Threshold (level at which sharpening should be active). This has resulted in disturbing quantities of granular noise in the areas that should be smoothly out of focus water.

When I process shots like this, I always take a few minutes in my workflow to consider all those myriad of flying water drops and/or surface bubbles, etc. - then I 'spot heal' away any that are a distraction and/or unhelpfully placed in the composition. This is something I don't think you're doing (please correct me if I'm wrong), but attention to little details like this can make a difference.

Now I'm going to read the other posts and your replies and see how many times I have put my foot in my mouth :o

Hope that's helpful, Dave

PS/Update

That is no Kingfisher Izzie, they are much smaller than that (and those eyes don't match any Kingfisher I have seen pictures of).
It is some kind of Heron, possibly a Juvenile Green Heron? (that's two separate links to compare juvenile with adult)
I have my fingers in my ears, so you can scream now :D

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Originally Posted by IzzieK

Thank you all very much for commenting and critiquing...I thoroughly enjoyed the interaction. I am looking forward to giving back some compliments and critiques on your posts too.

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Aw-oh :eek:

Just for your info:
nr 5 is a Rufous Night heron (Nycticorax caledonicus).

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Originally Posted by IzzieK

Thanks John and Richard...it was kingfisher last time I checked. :D

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Just nitpicking....But I am pretty sure that is a night heron :rolleyes:

Izzie, I think the description of these images as being 'street photography' is as good a description as any. You caught these birds just doing their bird thing, in context, in their natural environment; really, no different than what most of us shoot as 'street photography'. To me the colors seem either saturated or somehow just not quite natural. It could I suppose just be the lighting you had to deal with.

Anyway, cool shots all. Keep exploring, experimenting and playing around with your photography, you seem to have a natural ability to see.

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Originally Posted by IzzieK

Thanks John and Richard...it was kingfisher last time I checked. :D

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Nope, it is a heron I am pretty sure. Herons are waders, long legs. King fishers have much shorter legs, think kookaburra.

Nice shots. Melbourne zoo is a place I visit often when shooting:)

Ok... Thanks Dave...I know now what I did wrong and it will not be repeated. I appreciate all the critiques and comments, mind you..

Rudi, Stephen, Randy....Thank you...I thought herons are bigger than the palms of my hand. This one was really smallist so I thought it was a kingfisher. I feel stupid after I did a bit of research a while ago looking for night herons and included the Melbourne Zoo in my research. I found it. You were all right. I was wrong...I am glad you are all here to support my mistake and do so corrected me. Here are two of the links I found that looks similar to what I saw:

Heron, Nankeen Night- also Rufous Night-Heron Nycticorax caledonicus

http://carolinabirds.org/HTML/AU_Wader_Heron.htm

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:N...ght_Herons.jpg

Jack -- thank you for encouragements as usual...you have always been helpful. I stood up a while ago because I cannot sleep and was thinking of your comment about how Anika look at the world through her little camera, old cellphone. I will upload them as soon as I got off here...Thanks again...

Oh well, I wasn't right either, at least I'm in good company.

... and we've all learnt something :)

Keep 'em coming Izzie