New Eye Candy ... Critiques Welcome

[astrogazer]

I'm new to your forum and there are those of you out there, you know who you are ... , producing some truely amazing images. You have motivated me to take a few hours today to take some of my own. It's hard to compete with the 'big boys' (ahem ... and girls), but I'm giving it my best shot.
I'm open for opinions and with some encouragement might even shoot and share some more.

let me know what you think ...
... now on with the show:

 

[astrogazer]

... a couple more:

... is it my imagination or is that little guy smiling? Guess I've been staring at them too long

 

[astrogazer]

... last round:

... that's pretty much what I've done all afternoon, and I've enjoyed the heck out of it too ... very relaxing.

... ok phone lines are open ... tell me what you think ... I can take it ... :lol:

 

[gregr]

Welcome to the Photography forum
Your photos look excellent to me- I'd say you can compete with anyone no problemo.
Greg

 

[astrogazer]

You have some really incredible stuff on your web page. What is your weapon of choice?

 

[ReeferKeith]

What is there to critique?

Excellent shots!!

 

[bklinefelter]

Shots look great!!!

 

[astrogazer]

Thanks all ... appreciate the comments.

 

[Brewen]

You have great skills with the camera , awesome pics thanks for sharing.

 

[fishypets]

Jaw droping pics!

 

[highquality]

what camera????

 

[dvmsn]

Really nice. I can not get a good pic of fish. I think I need a good flash.

 

[Sk8r]

What shutter speed? Getting motion stopped like that, so clear, is quite a trick.

 

[21Reefman]

Great stuff!! I would say you should increase shutter speed to eliminate the trailing in a few of the fish portraits, stop the action. Actually the eyes are crisp, were you panning? The only other critique is on the clown pair shot where the lens hood and thumb are visible. I noticed this in another thread too, it confuses the viewer. The lens almost looks like something intentional, like a PS effect or like you shot through a manifying glass. I thought it might be some water effect you created to hide some flash/reflection or something. This time I see the thumb. I think that in PS using the clone stamp tool, you could eliminate this reflection making the pic much better. Make it look like the surrounding rock/background. Then it will not confuse the viewer. All great shots

 

[21Reefman]

like this

like this

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7317092#post7317092 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by astrogazer
...

Here is a quick fix for what I mean, not perfect by any means. If you want this, copy it and save it. I will only leave it here for 1-2 days.

Well, I had to sacrifice quality... If you want it, email me so I can send you the LG file back.

 

[astrogazer]

The streaks were actually intentional, a result of a motion blur filter on the inverted fisk mask layer, the result had the contrast increased and brightness reduced. I liked the panning effect in the final result. You're correct about the reflection of the lens in the 2 clowns picture, thought it odd, while I could have edited it out I grew on me and left it as was.

As far as sharpness and flash, yes I do use a flash, I have the SB800, only 1 unfortunately, however used in conjunction with the on-camera flash, I can fire it remotely. With ans ISO of 200, I can sync at 1/500 sec. at f/5.6

 

[21Reefman]

Ok one more tip; In the second to last Tang shot. I feel like his mouth is cut off, I want to see what he is eating. I would not have chosen that pic because of it. It's sort of like cutting off an ear, chin or mouth of a human. Or the old photo rule of not cutting off someones limbs.

 

[piberoptikz]

Great timing!

 

[PowderBlue518]

amazing pictures, those are some beautiful fish

 

[AdidaKev]

The macro shots of your PBT are gorgeous!