What’s Up?
On Wednesday morning, I headed out determined to photograph some birds and did just that. I worked two different Great Egrets on the pier railings, one from my SUV and one on foot using the pier-as-blind technique. Then again working from my Sequoia, I photographed the tame colts. All of the birds were photographed at 1200mm. It was a good morning even though I did not photograph a single flower.
Only six folks wrote a critique of my image in the Let’s Play BPN. On Doing Critiques. And the Two-way Benefits of Critiquing … blog post here. I’d urge everyone — a guy can dream, can’t he?) — not only to re-visit and try their hand at doing a critique, but to follow the link to the BPN thread of the same image (here). Why? There is so, so much to learn.
One thing that you might come away with after checking the BPN link is that I, Mr. Famouos Bird Photographer, am glad to have my work critiqued by others, even after 36 years of Avian photography. Why? The boys and girls on BPN made at least two suggestions that helped me improve the image.
In the past two days, I encountered two folks with quite different attitudes toward having their images evaluated by others.
One, after I suggested that he might wish to join BPN, e-mailed as follows: I’m cheap, and I don’t like joining groups. And I’m not that keen on (taking) criticism either. This from someone who has spent probably $100,000 on camera gear in the past year or two and rarely makes even a half-way decent image …
The other, a BPN member who professes a great desire to improve, wrote Frankly, my type-A personality felt a little exposed when you posted the (over-exposed) original to the thread. I, as many, am a little self-conscious and at times feel out of my league but I’m getting much better day by day I believe.. When I reply to his mail I will suggest that he get over it. Having your images critiqued is the best way to learn to improve your photography. And BTW, his work has been improving by leaps and bounds over the past two months.
The video for the RawDigger Flower (static subject) Exposure e-Guide by Arthur Morris and Patrick Sparkman is finished and the written portion of the guide is out for review as I type.
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This image was created on 2 JUNE 2020 in front of my house at Indian Lake Estates, FL. I used the Induro GIT 404L/FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sigma APO Macro 150mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM lens for Nikon F with the Vello Select Nikon F Lens to Sony E-Mount Camera Auto Lens Adapter (Firmware Ver. 6) and the 61-MP Sony Alpha a7R IV Mirrorless Digital Camera Body. ISO 400. Exposure determined by experimentation with the best exposure determined by RawDigger: 1/15 sec. at f/11 in Manual mode. AWB at 8:11am on a cloudy-bright morning. Manual Focus using techniques from the SONY e-Guide. Click on the image to see a larger version. Magnolia bud detail abstract |
What the ? Image #2
In the What the ? blog post here, I posted this:
Image #2: What is It?
If you have an idea as to what is pictured in the image above, please leave a comment and be as specific as possible.
Karen Mc was the first to answer correctly when she commented in part:
#2 is an emerging Southern Magnolia.
Next was Ravi Hirekatur who wrote:
#2 looks like a close up of magnolia flower with its fuzzy sepals.
Last to the party was Stephen Aveling-Rowe. He posted:
#2 resembles a magnolia of some description with it’s bud-cap. I am reasonably certain that the brown hairy part was the covering for the developing bud.
My reply to his comment:
Yes, those are the sepals.
As far as Image #1, there were some comical answers but none that are even close. I was worried that lots of folks would identify it in zero point one seconds … The answer will be revealed here soon.
Artie, thanks for bringing up this topic as I can understand where people can take a bruise to the ego, but by the same time, I guarantee there was a coach or teacher who told them to change this or that and they became better. My Uncle Izzy taught me photography many, many years ago. He is long gone but his daughter still apologizes for how hard he was on me when he would have me pull out the slide projector so he could view my work.
He made me a better photographer and since then I have always sought out those who either know more than me or that I felt was a peer who understood what I was trying to do. Isn’t that why we also take classes in photography? In fact my uncle made me take a photo class (full-on B&W with processing, printing, etc.) way back in the 80’s so that I could put everything together.
I mean why do we come to the blog if we do not want to learn? Part of learning is that someone taught you. If they teach you then they have critiqued your work somehow, someway.
Thanks for sharing, Jerrold. I agree 🙂
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