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DragonFly (9)

DragonFly (9)
Copyright ©2006, Fonzy -
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Because my good internet friend SERGEY GREEN pushed me to make a better shot from the Dragonfly, I went out today with my tripod and very motivated...
After a short walk I noticed a beautiful Dragonfly that was sitting on a flower... Took a few shots from it and went home to see the result....

I must say SERGEY was right in pushing me because this image is the best I ever made..

Thanks SERGEY for motivating me in your comments and stimulate me in trying to do better.....:-)
The result is there I think , doing better than this is IMO not possible......
Photographer: Fonzy -
Folder: My Insects 2006
Uploaded: 04-Jul-2006 15:47 CEST
Model release available:
Camera: Olympus E500
Exposure time: 1/160
Aperture: 10
Focal length: 425mm
Lens: ED300mm+EC1.4 converter
Focusing method: iESP P-AF
ISO: 250
White balance: Auto
Flash: no
Image format:
Processing applied: Cropped-Resized and a little USM
Various:
Image resized to: 700x998

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Dragonfly (9)

Fons, it appears to me this is not exactly the best lens for these kind of shots. With 300mm lens at F/10 you need farther and deeper background to make it blur. The dragonfly is in quite good focus, I would say it is ok, but the background is somewhat messy. There are few internet sites that describe how the DOF works and what is worth noting that OOF is not linear but exponential. In other words if you measure the same distance from the subject in front and from the subject behind the front plane will be in better focus than what is behind. The 300mm big tuna lens will probably not let you focus from any closer than 2 meters at least (with Nikkor it is even further) and with F/10 it is not usually simple to find the background that is 2+ meters away. So the best choice for this kind of shots would be a good macro lens (100mm and above) that would allow you to focus from at least closer than a meter away.

Anyway, the dragonfly itself does look quite good - I must say you are very persistent. I like the overall tonality of the image. The background is not ideal and you can see it even on the thumbnail. I tried few shots today after work and here is one on the subject;

http://myolympus.org/document.php?id=7228

And just like I said before, I am not an expert, just learning myself, but this is how it appears to me.

- Sergey

Sergey Green at 19:18 CEST on 04-Jul-2006 [Reply]

NO SUBJECT

Sergey I understand your view to it, I must say that I like this image very much not only the Dragonfly is exposed very good , sharp and detailed but also the natural habitat where the Dragonfly lives is well seen.
A blurred background it nice of course but it should not be to blurred I think....( my 2 cents !)

I will try to use my 50mm macro + EC1.4 when I go out again see what kind of result that brings ....
It's hard to get to close to them, would be nice to have a 100mm macro or so like you said in your comment..

Well we keep on trying...;-)


Cheers,

Fonzy - at 11:09 CEST on 05-Jul-2006 [Reply]

DragonFly (9)

Fons van Swaal. wrote:
> Sergey I understand your view to it, I must say that I like this image very much not only
> the Dragonfly is exposed very good , sharp and detailed but also the natural habitat where
> the Dragonfly lives is well seen.
> A blurred background it nice of course but it should not be to blurred I think....( my 2 cents !)
>
> I will try to use my 50mm macro + EC1.4 when I go out again see what kind of result that brings ....
> It's hard to get to close to them, would be nice to have a 100mm macro or so like you said
> in your comment..
>
> Well we keep on trying...;-)
>
>
> Cheers,
>

Fons,

No-one will ever argue with you what is right and what is wrong - it is all what you want to say; subject, mood, composition, a snapshot in time, etc. My point was that when you open the image you should not be asking yourself - "what am I looking at"? If it is a dragonfly then unless it is extreme macro it looks always better when all elements are in focus. If you want to show it as a main subject then it is always better to isolate it from the background. And I do not mean the environment - it can sit on a beautiful flower with perfect blue sky above, but when you open the image you should know exactly what the subject is. Just like a portrait. Generally there are certain rules and techniques on shooting portraits, landscapes, flowers, macros, but ultimately it is all up to you as a photographer what you want to say. Of course. You have to like it. If you enjoy it sooner or later it will show in the photos you are sharing. If you think it is better for you, then it probably is better. But you know, personally I can never understand what people like. Very often I will post few images that I find in some way interesting and no-one comments! Then I will post a shot that is rather average in my own opinion and it will draw comments like magnet! So go figure what people like!? I think the way it works with me is that I like to browse through books with many images, as well as people's galleries. I note in my own mind what looks the best and the most interesting. Then when holding my own camera I will try to remember what I saw before and if possible may even repeat it. I mean it will never be by any comparison identical, not even alike, but it is a good way for me to see what makes certain shots more interesting than the other. Provided I have time of course (I still have a long long way to go before I retire, ;)).

So this is what I think and this are my 2-cents back to you, ;). Look at your images as brief one-two seconds stories - there is always got to be the main character that will not be the same as the others. The sooner this character shows - the most intersting the story will be.

- Sergey

Sergey Green at 17:52 CEST on 05-Jul-2006 [Reply]