First True Macro!

Critiques [Translate]

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• AdrianW (710)
• [2006-07-09 22:37]
• [+]

Good shot! Welcome to the wonderful world of macro, enjoy your new lens :D

Love the composition, but I think rather than having the stick on the third, I might have placed it on the fifth - that way you'd have less empty sky in the shot. Focus/DOF/exposure are spot on, I think I'd like a little more fine detail sharpening ideally - but then I prefer higher levels than average, and you're just at the limit of haloing so... My main post-process suggestion would be to run Shadows/Highlights (S:25, H:0) just to bring out the shadow detail a bit more.

Anyway, good shot, and worthy of the lens - look forward to seeing many more :D

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• claudine (0)
• [2006-07-09 22:38]

I like this photo! Nice composition and it is very clear and sharp! You did great!

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• manyee (23770)
• [2006-07-09 23:13]

That is awesome, Scott. Congratulations!
Look at all those hairy legs... Uughhh!
Incredible details, excellent exposure and POV,
artistic presentation. TFS. : )

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• ellis49 (2254)
• [2006-07-09 23:36]

Hi Scott,
congrats to great lens, a perfect wapon for insects.
You picture is very nice wiht good details and a nice unusal POV. Maybe just a bit dark on the body, a fill-in flash maybe.
Very well done.

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• loot (11276)
• [2006-07-10 0:10]
• [2]

Hi Scott
I suppose I cannot say welcome to the D&D club since you have posted photos of Dragonflies before, but this shot probably makes that official since it is a true macro and a darn good one too. Congratulations with the new lens and I am sure we will be seeing much more material to come via that avenue since macro is like an incurable disease. Once that bug has bit you, you remain bitten.
Your photo is remarkable, but since some of the big guns have already given you advice on the technical stuff I am not going to try and sound wiser than them as I think they gave you sound advice.
Suffice to say, this is a sure way to keep you off that observation platform as I am convinced there is no insects on top of that and if there might be any, I am sure it is only because they are lost (chuckle).
Great work my friend and TFS.
Regards
Loot

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• ramthakur (56953)
• [2006-07-10 1:28]

This is a super job you have done with your new macro lens, Scott.
The capture is fantastic from every point of view.
Take care.

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• liquidsunshine (5437)
• [2006-07-10 2:19]

Excellent capture Scott,
Good detail, colours and sharpness. exposure and lighting are good. Good POV and composition. Now you've discovered a new world of photography, you'll be amazed at what you have around you.

Thanks for posting, have a great week.

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• red45 (31094)
• [2006-07-10 3:15]

Hi Scott!
Very good first try. Subject is perfect for this kind of shot - well visible details, sharp and clear. I like POV and very tight frame. Scene hard to capture, but you did great job, especially with perfect exposure. Now I'm waiting for more macros from you :-)

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• elefantino (14406)
• [2006-07-10 3:28]

Hi Scott, great macro with good details, light and compo.

Andrea

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• Janice (18832)
• [2006-07-10 3:58]

CONGRATULATIONS Scott on your first Macro!! Very, very well done. What amazing details we can see, and look at his hairy legs and body. Good job, and I look forward to seeing more of your macro shots.
Janice

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• ddg (5507)
• [2006-07-10 4:47]

Hello Scott, good new macro lens indeed!! Razorshape details and excellent colors too. Great composition with the sky as BG. Very well done, best regards, Didier.

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• AndyB (3982)
• [2006-07-10 5:50]

Hello Scott,
Its an excellent macro.
Superb detail and a great POV.
DOf is excellent also.
A great start with your new lens,I look forward to seeing more.
TFS

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• liziafa (1231)
• [2006-07-10 6:00]

Hi Scott,
Amazing close-up!!!
Good detils and colors.
I like it...
Very well done.
TFS Malgosia

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• dew77 (13270)
• [2006-07-10 6:23]

Hello Scott,
Excellent macro.I liked unusual POV,details,sharpness and composition a lot.I prefer spot metering mode when shooting against the sky.For much closer work i think,you should use your 1.4TC+180mm macro lens combination.
Enjoy your new lens,it's a little heavy but tack sharp.
TFS...:-)

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• cecilia (4630)
• [2006-07-10 7:11]

Stunning close up work. It's amazing to see the intricate patterns and colours on the dragonfly.
Well done...

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• Aramok (5166)
• [2006-07-10 7:50]

I feel like saying snap - only its a different species! (b'fly from underneath).

Great detail in the dragonfly, I love the bronze coloured body and wings. I was wondering if flash woudl have helped a touch, but it may not have tolerated that....

great start and look forwadr to many more to come.

TFS
Emma

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• marhowie (486)
• [2006-07-10 8:08]

Excellent capture Scott!
Shooting up towards the sky helped alot to not only provide a great BG for your subject, but F22 to pull it all together :)
Very good sharpness/detail and you mangaged the light well from underneath, without fill-flash..Great impact, unusual POV, and I like comp. with space front..
I'm certain that you will produce some excellent macro's now that you have the 180mm.
Very well done.

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• Athila (1982)
• [2006-07-10 8:10]
• [+]

Hi Scott,
Not the best POV I have seen, but excellent sharpness. TFS.

Alain

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• jmp (8415)
• [2006-07-10 8:16]
• [+]

Hi Scott,
No doubt, this is a excelent macro. Details, color and pov outstanding! A new reference for professional coming from a newcomer! :-)
Best regards, José M.
PS. What was the actual distance from camera to dragonfly?

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• valy67 (9219)
• [2006-07-10 9:48]

Hi Scott ! This is your 1st macro ? Difficult to believe it, as it is really an excellent shot ! Congratulations ! Details, colors, composition are excellent. I also like your low POV very much, and the blue sky makes a wonderful BG. Very well done !
Valérie.

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• SkyF (8073)
• [2006-07-10 10:08]

Hi Scott,
this is an amazing shot, I love the POV, it makes the dragonly gigantic. Superp sharp details and the light is excellent.
Lovely composition.
TFS..Sky

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• csmnlm (449)
• [2006-07-10 13:20]

Hi Scott!
It is so impressive I like it !

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• CTP (2726)
• [2006-07-10 16:27]

Hi Scott,
Excellent Dragonfly Macro my friend.
I like your pov,dof,focus,sharpness,colors,framing,note and composition.TFS
Chris

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• ScottHale (420)
• [2006-07-10 16:30]

Scott,
You forgot to mention you waded through the "thicket" in your shorts to get this one. I like it and I'm happy to see your learning curve isn't that steep. You'll be posting National Geographic quality shots by next week. Such an ugly, yet beautiful D-Fly here. The wings are amazing and the sticky looking arms make me think twice, maybe three times before picking one of these up. I can't give you advice about settings or anything actually, just words of encouragement. Wonderful image my friend, I think the shot is absolutely incredible. I look forward to getting one of these myself (in 2008) :)
Great job,
Scott

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• osse (7805)
• [2006-07-10 16:47]

Hi Scott
Great POV and shot. Good composition and BG colours. Great sharpnes, details, colours, light, and note.
Well done my friend

osse

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• Dando (3084)
• [2006-07-10 17:04]
• [2]

Hi Scott, I think you have done great with your first true macro. The dragonfly looks very sharp with amazing details, some parts of the body perhaps a tad dark but I will leave the advice to the macro experts as my knowledge is very minor. On a whole very well done, can't wait for the next macro shot. You must be very pleased with your new lens.
All the best,
Dean.

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• aido (4046)
• [2006-07-11 8:28]

Hi Scott,
Excellent shot, the detail and colours under the wing are superb. The low POV and extreme macro make this beastie look huge! An artistic approach that works really well I think, quite an extreme crop. If this is your first attempt I can't wait to see what you come up with next!
Cheers,
Adrian

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• marmottelolo (14697)
• [2006-07-11 11:00]

hi scott
point de vue interressant,la netteté rien a dire ,les details tres bons.c'est une espece tres jolie avec ces ailes colorées.
laurent

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• pablominto (14563)
• [2006-07-11 11:22]

Hi Scott,
You start well! I don't think your learning curve will be that steep...
Awesome close-up, superb details and great colours!
Greetings,
Pablo -

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• thistle (9282)
• [2006-07-11 13:00]

Hello Scott,
So this is a true macro ;-) It's very good as for start. I think it's nice that you tried to take that shot in more artistic way. I quite like the POV, it's very interesting. Framing works, but I have feeling it's a little unbalanced.
Overall, well done on this one.

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• carper (8439)
• [2006-07-12 3:04]
• [+]

nice to see you working with your new macro lens scott.
a very nice first one, not easy with the light, but very good details in the shot. May I ask, have you also used a flash? very good job.
gr. jaap

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• Graal (5100)
• [2006-07-12 5:17]

Hi Scott,
excellent macro, good details and colours. Friends all told You. I like it, too. Well done photo.
Rgs, Aleksander

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• coasties (28054)
• [2006-07-12 6:55]

Hi Scott

Wow... congrats, this is spectacular work. :-)

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• soccer (2557)
• [2006-07-12 7:00]

Scott,

The POV is excellent. I like the tight composition too. Your detail, Clear BG, Sharpness and Lighting all make for a wonderful pic. TFS,
Sheriff

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• Silke (5458)
• [2006-07-12 8:52]

Superb, awseome, fabulous composition here. More than the capture of an insect, it's a work of art.
Heartiest congrats!
Silke

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• wuta (2142)
• [2006-07-12 14:35]

Hello Scott , What a beauty , fantastic shot , sharp details compositie colours pov and the blue bg, very good tfs ,Greetings Teunie .

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• jeanpaul (14962)
• [2006-07-12 19:54]

Bonjour Scott
Elle est superbe cette prise de vue en Macro. Les couleurs,les détails sur cette libellule sont de toutes beautés et l'éclairage est parfait.
Félicitations et merci pour l'envoie.....JP

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• alejandroguzman (452)
• [2006-07-14 12:11]

wow....

STUNNING !!
this shot is just AMAZING !!!


tfs
hugs from Houston
alejandro

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• saguzar (7202)
• [2006-07-14 14:36]

hello Scott,
really is a true (and impressive) macro photo.
I like many thing of this pic but specially like the POV and composition.
All ok on it.
Regards
Hernán

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• zeca (2887)
• [2006-07-15 2:20]

Hi Scott!
Wow! What a wonderful shot! Excelent POV and sharp details! I love the details on the wings texture. Amazing! I´ll add to my favs!
Regards,
Zeca

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• AnimalExplorer (1997)
• [2006-07-15 11:19]

Details are incredible on this fantastic capture and it sets beautifully on a nice blue background. I just got back from Peru and they must've had a gabillion of dragonflies down there by river and lakes edge. I traveled in 5 different river systems and they were everywhere but I did not photograph one. :)

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• goutham_ramesh (12237)
• [2006-07-17 10:28]

Hi Scott,
Its been a long time ... since i saw your pictures , it's as refereshing as it was before :-). Great picture, the perspective is amazing(Very few ppl try this!)
TFS
Goutham

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• HELO (352)
• [2006-07-26 9:51]

hi SCOTT
cette photo est magnifique avec les ailes de l'insecte
et il est très jolie
bons détails et très belle couleurs
bravo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
heloise

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• metcher (4284)
• [2006-08-28 3:17]

HI, Scott.
Very nice macro. Excellent POV, pose and BG. Nice colors. Sharp, with very good details, composition and BG.