Baby sheep set - looking for C&C

Would love as much comments and criticism as possible. Anything from PP methods, composition, sharpness, colour, content, or anything else that you can think of - I'm looking to get better and the only way is to know where I failed. Shots with a K10d at iso800 and my Tamron 400mm f4 LD-IF Model 65B - it's a really fun lens. It has made me keen to take shots again and learn more. I actually have the lens and camera in a carrying bag in the boot of my car all the time now! I really need to get a tripod though, one of these days... But for now it's high ISO + F4-F5.6 for me.

For a self evaluation, I can see that #2, 6, and 7 didn't have a large enough aperature; nose in #2 was a bit blurred and the lamb's face was blurred in #6 and 7. Perhaps with #7 it's more that I missed the focus by a bit as there is more grass in front of the lamb than behind. #10 didn't have a high enough shutter speed so there is a bit more blurr in their motion than I would like, but I really liked the content. Perhaps for #10 the colour is a bit too dull as well (thoughts?). Also #4 is composed off - though when I tried to crop it just didn't look as nice. I suppose the content is a bit off too, I just thought the eyes closed and ears back was cute.

Anyways, thoughts from you guys? Be as honest as you can.


1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Do you really want harsh ?

Well, firstly, I would say what ever camera / lens combination you are using is ok.

If you are cropping the pictures, then in most, you are cropping too much.

The 'general' feeling is that if you are going to photograph animals, then you have to include every part, i.e. nose, tail feathers, head, legs etc. etc. there are exceptions though, no.6 could do with a tighter crop to enhance the 'comic ' feel.

No. 1 works best for me, but my opinion may differ dramatically from everyone else's, you have to make up your own mind as to what YOU like.

If it was mine, No 1 has a lot of distractions in the foreground, needs a bit of a crop and a colour lift, this is only my opinion, please tell me your thoughts, I am not pretending to be any sort of expert, just an enthusiast.
I have posted what "I" think is an improvement, but that does not mean this is the 'best' picture, you have to make up your own mind.

Well must admit I very rarely comment. However, I have to agree with what has been said. All of the photos seem to be very "Messy". Bits chopped off all over the place. No1 appears to be catching the subject matter, but a bit of cloning to tidy up the image would not go amiss in my opinion. The stones and other clutter could be cloned out, as could the stray wool on the ewe's neck. Too many back ends in some of the others.
Practice and more practice is my motto - it will come good in time...

Tend to agree on some of the cropping issues. I really like the last one (10) though, with the group of running lambs. That was nicely captured and well framed. The small amount of motion blur is fine in my opinion. It's minor enough to be subtle and give the image a little more dynamism. Stopping motion completely is great if you want to capture elegant, graceful movement but running lambs are not the most graceful so I wouldn't go to great lengths to get a perfect freeze frame (no idea if that makes any sense to anybody but me - it may be a very personal thing . As for your the colour being a little dull, perhaps so but that should no be very difficult to tweak - although there is a little CA (purple fringing, look at the back of the lamb in the middle of the group and the hind legs of the one in front of it for the clearest examples) there so be careful not to emphasise it.

I love #6

I'd crop out the bottom section of grass though.


I like the way #8 is cropped


I agree #1 needs a colour lift and some cropping , but I don't agree about sanitising it too much. I would have left some of the foreground 'bits' in.


Talking of cropping bits off animals, one of my favourite Vivian Maier shots ....




from http://vivianmaier.blogspot.com/

"You, sir, are a horse's ass."

As I said, my opinion will differ from others.

Just look here, one picture, how many variations, which is correct, NONE !!!

It is in the eye's of the beholder !!!


link

The pyramids spoiled a good picture there !

Most of the shots are, unfortunately uncropped. It's the joy of having a big zoom and subjects that run away but I very much agree with you galoot.

Mayday, for some reason I didn't even think about cloning them out! Love the idea.

Love the c&c, exactly what I'm looking for and well put.

Now, get back out there, compose the shots, take a little time, I think you have the gear, so show us the next batch !!!!

I know it is sometimes hard to get back up from, "being put down'", but, the focus was good, the exposure was good, the idea was good, the subject was good, just a little refining on the capture needed ?

Shooing critters, 90% luck ???

Number 4 really concerns me, that head does no belong on that body!!!

The last one is cool though...