Desert Bighorn Ewe and Lamb - Repost, Plus Second Post

Image Critiques Wildlife Critiques
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ZionEweKid
ZionEweKid1521×2000 1.18 MB

ZionMotherandKid-TDS
ZionMotherandKid-TDS1488×2000 1020 KB

Critique Style Requested: Standard

The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.

Description

There was a nice group of desert bighorns grazing along the roadside. I was able to stand at the side of the road while they calmly walked right by less than fifty feet below me. At some points they were too close for me to get the whole animal(s) in the frame with my telephoto zoom and teleconverter on.

Specific Feedback

I’m not sure about the angle on this image since I was standing right above them looking down as they came up the slope past me. This ewe did give me a nice look as it came by.

Technical Details

Canon 7DMii, f8, 1/2000 sec, iso 800, -1 EV, 100-400/1.4TC at 140, crop off the back and in front of the animal to make a portrait orientation.

I ran this through Topaz sharpen. Not sure if it really did anything.

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Hi Ed, I like seeing this pair together. The expressions on the ewe and lamb are notable and help to tell a story. I think sharpness on the ewe could be better. I’d expect the DOF dropoff we see on the lamb.

1 Like
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A neat family portraiture scene here, Ed. I don’t do any wildlife or avian anymore and I can really appreciate the efforts in photographing animals & birds on the move all the time. As @Allen_Sparks mentions about the DOF item I was not sure about the sharpening used as a finished item. You no doubt can see how well focused the original is and decide on that item. Regardless, the compositions works fine as is… :cowboy_hat_face:

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Thank you @Allen_Sparks and @Paul_Breitkreuz. I’m not sure if I’m just rushing these shots and getting some motion blur going on, or if my AI is searching for a better focus when I mash the button? I’ve switched my long lens to my 5DMiii, from the 7DMii to see if I can get more consistent results. I appreciate your feedback.

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Ed, Sorry to say I cannot comment on any digital gear focusing items as I’m all manual gear. In years past I stumbled across Youtube(s) with listings on Digital Camera OOF issues with auto focus gear. Not even sure it applies these days with the later gear. But there were testing processes and adjustments to correct the issues. Again, maybe not even an issue these days depending upon the hardware.
Best of luck working things out.

1 Like
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I love the composition of the second image. Nice job catching the moment the lamb was under the crook of mommas neck. I do see the focus issue. Have you tried Topaz Sharpen select the masking tool for “subject”. That way your subject gets sharpened but not the background. Sometime tight vertical lines get wonky in sharpening. You might even use a mask in Lightroom to reduce texture and sharpness in the background to help fool our eyes that you subject is in better focus!

1 Like
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@Paul_Holdorf thank you for your thoughtful suggestion on how to work this image. I will go back and rework it and see if I can get better clarity/sharpness with Topaz. Thanks you, Ed