JJuLLiAAn wrote:
I kinda like the original better, not that your's isn't good but I always seem to prefer the unprocessed images. Thanks for the suggestions though.
In terms of composition, the subject is perhaps too close to the long dimension centerline. The lighting was rather flat and doesn't add much interest to the subject. For this subject a side-on POV is generally less interesting than a 3/4 view (part side/part overhead) which would better show the three dimensional shape of the sow bug.
Personally, I still think you need more sharpening. RAW does not mean "natural" but rather unprocessed, unfinished. It is, of course, a matter of taste and preference how contrasty, saturated, sharpened one likes.
In terms of composition, I like these a series, showing how these creatures climb up, down and alongside the vegetation. As a single image the third works best for me with the steep climb. I agree about a bit more DOF. That would partially obviate the extra sharpening.
Scott
It's a question of visual balance and the flow of the eye. For selective sharpening, I just used the Sharpen Tool in Photoshop to apply sharpening at a low percentage in brush-like strokes. It allows me to sharpen without over-doing it. Other programs I presume have other ways to selectively sharpen.
That actually looks really good, now let me ask you, I was thinking of mabye entering this image into the slrgear.com contest but it has pretty shallow DOF I was doing some flower shots at a low f/stop and forgot to change it. Do you think it has potential?
It would depend upon the competition and the judges. If it was a weekly assignment (WA) FM competition and the topic was "macro", probably not. It's an OK image, but not especially exciting. OTOH, in any other competition, who knows? In general, at least 2/3s of the time, I see the WA winner and wonder, what were those voters smoking? But hey, enter anyway. It's needn't be about winning. I've never won a WA but I still lob one over the fence into the competition now and then. I make my images for me. If others like 'em, great. If not, well I do.
Unless you are shooting for ego strokes, prizes or money, the only question that matters, in the end, is are *you* happy with it?
