The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
This little Blue-spotted salamander took refuge overnight under my rolling trash can so I had a nice surprise when I took it in the next day. Luckily for me it stayed in this cute little curled up pose for long enough for me to get 40 images to stack. Even so, I missed the very tip of the nose and the ridge on the back. Bummer, but it’s so cute I’ll take it. When I was done I gently coaxed it onto a piece of cardboard so I could move it to a safer area. I don’t handle amphibs with my hands if I can help it since they can absorb so much through their skins like soap residue, hand lotion or sunscreen. IRL it’s about 1 1/2 inches curled up like this. A small one for sure. The green is the refection of the leaves overhead.
Specific Feedback
So…other than the two boo-boos, how does the stack look? Any other processing ideas?
Technical Details
Camera on the ground on a beanbag
2 20-stack bracketing sessions starting in different areas and working back.
Lr to get color/contrast/clarity improved and also sharpened slightly. Then into Zerene for the stack. This is a barely retouched PMax image with further adjustments using the Calibration tab, masks, and general adjustments to get it looking good again.
Critique Template
Use of the template is optional, but it can help spark ideas.
It’s a good thing you didn’t roll over him! He is a little cute. I see the blue but also a lot of green on top.
I can’t see where you missed a shot, it all looks clear on my end. I like the blurred BG and FG. The FG in front of him looks good. I think you did a great job on the stack. Thanks
Kinda cute, Kris, but even if there was no danger to him if I handled him, I don’t think I would want to. Nice little surprise and I think you did a fine job capturing this image of him. I like that you got down to his eye level.
Excellent job on the stack and the two tiny areas of concern aren’t to me. They’re essentially unnoticeable unless you put your nose up to the screen. The color is wonderful. One minor nit-judging from the transitions from in-focus to out-of-focus areas this could use a bit of ccw rotation. BTW, you have lovely gravel!
I think this one is outstanding Kris. I can’t believe how nice the colors are, and I’m not seeing anything wrong with focus on this. @Dennis_Plank is right, you have cool gravel too.
Thanks @SkipsPics, @Shirley_Freeman, @Dennis_Plank & @Ed_Williams - glad the two slightly OOF bits aren’t annoying. I didn’t catch the unevenness so thanks for that Dennis. I rotated & desaturated the concrete slightly - that’s what it is actually, the apron in front of the attached garage. Such a cutie patootie.
A wonderful catch – cute indeed! Amazing that the green is reflections from foliage. The stack is good enough – the nose is dark enough it doesn’t show and the most distant points are easy to forgive. Your concrete is much more attractive than ours – it’s a good place to plop down subjects if they will stand for it. Like maybe leaves and the like.
It’s a lovely salamander, Kris, and the shot shows it off so well on that luxurious concrete. I have to ask: why 2 20-shot sessions rather than a single 40-shot one.
In other words, why/how to start in different areas and still get everything in focus?
Thanks again @Dennis_Plank and also @Diane_Miller & @Mike_Friel - the green surprised me the first time I ever photographed one of these guys and I thought it was algae although I couldn’t see it with my eyes. Then looking at other angles with this one I realized the green changed and was sometimes absent where it appeared at another angle and the lightbulb went off - reflection not algae. They are quite shiny.
Anyway…the two sessions was because it moves. I tried a couple of other stacks a few minutes before this one and the little bugger moved 1/2 way through. So when it stayed still here, I did one starting with the most important bits - face, eyes and front legs, and the second a little further back to the end. Those would be bonus shots if it stood still, if not the first few would be fine. I lucked out in the end.
My type of photo–getting down low gets the viewer into the salamander’s environment. The texture of the skin is very nice and the stacking looks good for the areas covered by sharp images. One problem with stacking is making sure that all portions of the subject get into focus. You missed a couple and this is not a deal breaker. These areas are only noticeable when you actually look for them. You might try to selectively sharpen those areas. The green cast is unusual and I certainly would not worry about it. A very cool shot…Jim
Thanks @Jim_Zablotny - with animate subjects, the stack gets a bit tricky, but I’m pretty happy with the result given that fact. The green doesn’t bother me, but it did puzzle me for a bit. I’ve never seen this phenomenon on any other salamander or frog.
Kris: Not much to add but my congratulations on a superbly crafted image of a compelling subject. Good on you for your careful handling of this small life. Well done. >=))>
Kris, this is a fine take on this little salamander…it’s a real cutie and the details are excellent. Other than the soft nose, I don’t see any stacking artifacts and as others have said, the colors in the concrete are way cool. Fascinating about the green reflection although in hind sight, since salamanders must have wet skin, getting a reflection isn’t a surprise.
Thanks @Mark_Seaver - yeah, I thought the reflection thing was pretty neat and lucky for me the cement is so attractive since I photograph a lot of critters on it.
