CHAT - Weekly Comp Fri 16th to Sun 18th April 2010 - Birds and Bugs

Congratulations on the win Guy.

Above, Guy's, What are you looking at. In my opinion, this shot looks a little over exposed, where I feel some finer hair details have been lost, while surface textures may have been exaggerated in camera and or post processing to sharpen.

Having said that, the votes speak, expressing the broad taste reflected, and I am a fine one to talk!
Having adopted a similar approach to exaggerate the iridescent metallic blue and red colours of a Ruby-tailed wasp entered in last year's Poty (where some details became clipped on the extremities of the wing tips and antenna); Not forgetting 'True Grit' the shadow capture in my PR gallery, where I purposely tuned and set the camera to only record my shadow on a newly gritted roadway at midday.

Below, Jerry's, Duck ; A well timed capture with nice eye catch light and fine head detail.

[ianpinion]

Above: ianpinion - Here's looking at you...version 2 I canot believe this only got 1 vote a superb picture made more interesting by the monotone.

Thank you Mark for your kind comments, much appreciated. I guess the reason many of the entries only received one vote is testimony to the overall quality of all the images submitted. Personally, I found it a very difficult choice and could have so easily given my vote to any one of six of the entries. I did like Guy's entry and I think a deserved winner because of the composition, use of DoF, colour and level of detail are all excellent. Mark, I liked your image's composition and the way you've captured the moment. It really made me chuckle. I liked the textures and composition of Ogga's ants and this image almost got my vote, but for the fact that the ants shown weren't of the flying variety which I thought missed the flying criteria. However, my vote went to buggslife's Arachnid. Now I know you're all going to tell me that spiders don't fly and house spiders definitely don't, but actually some spiders do actually launch themselves on to the breeze and can be carried for hundreds of miles. Plus, I thought this image was a superb capture as this type of spider is regarded as a sprinter, because it can cover 20ft in a matter of a few seconds, which makes the image all the more remarkable. To think, his subject could have been out of sight by the time the camera had focused and probably halfway up his arm or trouser leg.

[michaelb104]

Well done Guy on the win, thought it was a really great capture with super colour and DOF, got my vote.

My initial thought were to go and find a shield bug as I'd found a couple in the garden the weekend before but of course there were none to be seen hence the ladybird for me.


Got to say thanks for the vote Wattsy.

Up and downs

Mannananscloak - I very, very nearly voted for this as the dark background makes the head stand out so and the sharpness of the main subject just draws you in to the eye. I think the only reason it didn't get my vote was that I find seagulls a bit malevolent (is that a bit harsh??)

Jcrepes - A nice capture of the ladybird, I just feel that maybe the colours needed a little boost. I hate to think what contortions you had to go through to get this shot.


I've got to say I think this was one of the hardest weeks to choose who to vote for for a while, looking forward to this weekend theme.

[jinky]

Well done Guy. Got my vote - just- over buggslife`s.B`s was sharper but just missd the full shot whilst I loved the colour on Guy`s. Loved Ian`s ladybird too,matt`s duck coming in to land and the humour and being there to capture it in Cutter`s.Peeping om with a camera eh Cutter - you`ll get photographers a bad name

Must try and get time for an entry this weekend so looking forward to the theme Guy

[GUY1970]

Thank you for the congratulations and votes everyone. I will have to rack my brains for a subject this week and will post later today or tomorrow.

Some great entries as usual this week.

[Semaj]

Congrats Guy a deserved win.

Above oggalily - ants

Nice shot of the Ants I feel it was a bit too far away for a wow factor but well taken as they don't hang around long waiting to get their pictures taken.

ianpinion - Here's looking at you...version 2

A lovely composition, it is a hard angle to take and the shadow at the front distracts slightly however still a great shot.

Jim.

[GUY1970]

Above Matt Wilson - Coming into Land
Great action shot Matt. Was in my top 5. A few hundred's of seconds later on the shutter would have made a big difference. Picky I know but did lie the shot.

Below beauxreflets - Cou- neus
What an ugly bird. Nice detail in the shot. I think the ugliness of the bird put me off.

My vote went to Oggalily - ants
Great texture and so difficult to not get a blurred image of ants as they move so fast. My only critic would be maybe the back end of the ant in the top right could be cropped or cloned out, as slightly distracting.

I will be posting a new topic shortly.

[SieSmith]

Well done Guy, lovely shot of the shield bug, though I would have liked a little more detail in a macro for my vote. My vote went to Ogga's ants, lovely detail and good composition, although I agree with Guy that the ant top right does distract a little. Minor crit though.

Top & Bottoms:-

Jerry WSL - Duck
An aperture of f14 and shutter speed of 1/80s has left the main body of the duck sharp and blurred the wing movement. I think with a wider aperture you could have got a more pleasing blurring of the background to really isolate the duck. It would have quickened up the shutter speed to also freeze the wing movement and show the detail in the wing feathers in what is an interesting pose. Also a slight cropping of the right hnd side or move to the left would have taken the subject a bit more off the central position in the frame.

Old Salty - A Gathering of Galahs
Certainly colourful birds and a good sense of movement with the two birds flying in to join the gathering. For me though this is just a little too far away and not really showing any detail in the birds on the ground. It does give a good sense of the "gathering" though.

Just my opinions - don't get too bothered by them, after all I got no votes as well!

Cheers, Sie