Unfortunately, LAST year - our Goldies are not back yet.
2018:05:08 17:39:11
Nikon D850
150-600mm @ 600mm
1/400 sec, f/8
Mode: Av
Metering: Multi-segment
Exp comp: -1/3
ISO: 1250
White balance: Auto
Flash: Off
Might be last year’s, but he’s a beauty, Sandy. Excellent perch and composition.
I like this a lot. The bird is well placed in the composition. Great background. Good pose and detail.
Question: I notice that with your shots, they cannot be enlarged to the degree of most of the posts. What are you doing so this doesn’t happen?
Most excellent shot. I’d say you nailed this pic. Wall hanger.
Hi, Allen - a very good question deserving an answer.
I do not EVER post large-file images on the internet, for reasons regarding theft and copyrights. That is also why I watermark each of my photos - that legally establishes my ownership of the image, in case of unauthorized use or outright theft. The current copyright laws on online photos remain in flux.
Many of us longer-timers on NPN found a site a few years ago just FULL of NPN photos belonging to me and a number of others, and giving no credit to the photographer. That was a wake-up call for me.
In posting in the NPN Critique gallery, we expressly allow our images to be downloaded. The disclaimer says "may only download for demonstration purposes. " - but I don’t know any thieves honest enough to abide by this. I remove those default “permission to download” lines from my posts , so I expressly DO NOT allow any downloads (the few that have been downloaded and re-worked to show ideas are fine - the people asked me, or I know and trust them)
I could choose to post in the Galleries, where downloading is not so easily facilitated and critiques not allowed, but I WANT all suggestions and comments for improvement - and that is only allowed in the Critique forums.
I may post larger images of those pics I’m not especially fond of. But I will NEVER post a larger image of a picture that has won contests, is/will be entered in contests, or published.
Online security and image theft is a very major concern of most photographers. I know David K is working hard to find a solution for NPN. I know some on NPN do not post at all, or have removed their previously- posted images, until this issue is resolved.
For now, I’d suggest NPN allow NO downloads. If a person wants to download and work on another person’s image, I think they should contact that person and request explicit approval. Then, the original photographer could post the “improved” image, if THEY wished.
In the meantime, I’ll be posting only smaller files. I believe they are large enough to be able to evaluate my work.
Thank you for bringing this up!
Sandy
Sandy, Thanks for taking the time to reply. If you export from PS, what file size do you use so they can’t be fully enlarged?
I post at about 800-900 on long side, the same as on NPN 1.
The quality seems fine to me - what do YOU think?
S
Yes, your quality is always excellent.
I think the quality of the posted image is site dependent. I post on three different sites and on one of them, there is clearly a difference between an image posted at 800-1024 pixels on the long side and images posted on NPN or that another site at 2000.
The issue is evaluating the image which is more difficult to do if you’re only posting at 800.
I don’t know if there is another method that protects one from digital theft. It would be nice if there was or if the NPN software can offer another layer of protection. I don’t know the answers but I do know that even with your current approach, there are still people who will steal your images and use them albeit not the quality one would get if posting at higher pixel widths.
Beautiful image Sandy. Gorgeous goldfinch with terrific exposure. I like the composition with the isolated subject from the rest of the perch. well done.
Hello, Sandy, - what a great image. The BG and perch are serving the subject so well, and the Finch stands out tech sharp against the green background. A job well done 
. Cheers, Hans