The photographer is looking for thoughtful feedback on the image as a whole, especially around the areas noted below.
Feedback Focus: Artistic / Expressive
About This Image
I’d planned to post this for the WC, but now that Mike has added his fantastic Tiger Beetle portrait, it’s even more fun. This shot is a great example of ‘Kris should take the camera whenever she goes into the yard’ moment. I spotted them and was sure they’d be gone by the time I got back, but no…they were still, ahem, at it. They are Six-spotted Tiger Beetles (2 cm long) and very skittish at the best of times; even preoccupied with trying to make more beetles, they shied away from me and I had to wait and maneuver for a moment when they weren’t behind stones. Eventually they tired of my shenanigans, separated and flew off. Leave a tender moment alone indeed.
Feedback Requested
It was bright sunlight so I used the flash to fill in a bit, but wonder if the effect is decent. They really are this bright and shiny and I wanted that to come through even if they are on a pretty busy landscape. Thoughts on how the processing could be improved to that end are welcome.
Tripod/handheld: Handheld
Focus method: SAF w/ focus peaking
Filters: none
Technique: TTL flash at probably 0 or + just a bit more since there was a few feet between plus diffusers
Conditions:
Processing software: Lr & Ps
Major adjustments: Lr for basic RAW adjustments to help show off that loving couple and keep the background from intruding quite so much. A biggish crop also. Ps for some distraction removal.
Blending/stacking: None
Other notes:
Kris: You know in Texas we take a dim view of peeping Toms . Great capture of the action and I like the environment, especially for the color contrast provided. You have me curious about using flash more because again I don’t see the effect at all, which is a good thing IMO. Of course it might be pure serendipity to discover these shiny beetles with a polarizer aboard. I wonder how that might impact their appearance. Glad they stuck around for you and congrats on a fine capture. >=))>
Kris, I see monsieur has another use for those giant clamps! No escape for madame. You really got down to beetle level well, your reward being the interesting FG/BG combination. And the green stands out beautifully without seeming too shiny. The only thing I’d be tempted to try would be a bit more sharpening of heads, if at all possible.
But it’s great to see the more sentimental side of these creatures!
Kris, your patience paid off. They look so small here in comparison to the face on shot that Mike’s beetle appears to be. Having never seen on in person that I know of leaves me to try to visualize their size. I guess the face on shot causes him to look much larger than he is.
Thanks @Bill_Fach , @Mike_Friel & @Shirley_Freeman - I’ve only seen this behavior once before in a different species, but it was with 3 beetles not 2. Seems the 2nd male waits for the first to get tired or something, and meanwhile the female keeps hunting & eating. It’s pretty funny. I’ll see what I can do about the heads in terms of sharpness, but that might be all there is.
Such great color! The brightness and shininess does come through very clearly. And you’ve managed to avoid glare on their backs, which is a problem I often have. And the blur around them is a good way of dealing with the messy background. I don’t find the background distracting at all because of the harmonious, fairly neutral colors and the blur. I agree about the sharpening of the beetles if you can do it. I find Topaz AI sharpening and Nik Color Efex’s Detail Extractor to be really helpful when the focus is just slightly off.
Kris, you caught “the action” well… Their sheen is great and helps them stand out from an interesting background. When I look at the largest view, I think the touch of softness may be motion blur. The first level enlargement looks good, it’s only the largest view that looks a tiny bit soft.
Tiger beetles can be challenging and your patience paid off. When opportunity knocks, always take the photo. These beetles live in sunny locations and you will never see them on a dark, cloudy day. I’m glad that you took the shot and they provided you a chance for a well composed shot. The flash work looks good…Jim
Thanks @canan , @Mark_Seaver & @Jim_Zablotny - sorry for the late reply, was up on Lake Superior and they apparently hate cell phone towers up there. The blur probably is motion since the SS was so low (doh!), but I think it works ok since the rest of the image is a bit different and the colors work together. My flash technique is getting better with practice thankfully!
. Great capture of the action and I like the environment, especially for the color contrast provided. You have me curious about using flash more because again I don’t see the effect at all, which is a good thing IMO. Of course it might be pure serendipity to discover these shiny beetles with a polarizer aboard. I wonder how that might impact their appearance. Glad they stuck around for you and congrats on a fine capture. >=))>