Mary Ann Carrasco
November 2024 - Feeding Time
Original
About the Image(s)
Description: This was taken recently on a visit to ranch in the Capay area. The owner took us out to see some of the landscape and cattle. I thought this one might convert to black and white nicely. I used the Nikon Z9 with 28-400 lens, ISO 200, f/8, 1/125 at 150mm. I edited in camera raw before converting in Silver Efex Pro with adjustments to one of the presets and then cropped. I look forward to your comments.
7 comments posted
An interesting subject that is a good candidate for monochrome.
The last thing I want is to be overly critical, in this case, I have several issues.
My main issue and my pet peeve with any image is focus, and I don't see anything in focus here. If you have a sharpening app like Topaz, maybe some of the focus could be corrected. The crop could have been wider, including more of the cows on both sides. Three of the cows can barely be seen, heads hidden. Maybe, waiting a bit, they would raise their heads so more than one can be seen. The shadows could be adjusted to bring out more from the black areas. A thin white stroke would make the image stand out more from the background, especially since the black cows pull the viewer out of the image. This is something we should all remember, including me.
I am sure that you saw something here that made you take the photo, it is just a matter of taking more time, if you have it, to get the image your eye saw. Let me know your thoughts. Posted: 11/08/2024 22:27:56
The last thing I want is to be overly critical, in this case, I have several issues.
My main issue and my pet peeve with any image is focus, and I don't see anything in focus here. If you have a sharpening app like Topaz, maybe some of the focus could be corrected. The crop could have been wider, including more of the cows on both sides. Three of the cows can barely be seen, heads hidden. Maybe, waiting a bit, they would raise their heads so more than one can be seen. The shadows could be adjusted to bring out more from the black areas. A thin white stroke would make the image stand out more from the background, especially since the black cows pull the viewer out of the image. This is something we should all remember, including me.
I am sure that you saw something here that made you take the photo, it is just a matter of taking more time, if you have it, to get the image your eye saw. Let me know your thoughts. Posted: 11/08/2024 22:27:56
David, I appreciate your assessment and suggestions. I have much to learn and I do like that you have been forthright in your comments. Can you explain what you mean by a "thin white stroke" to make the image stand out more from the background? Posted: 11/12/2024 00:45:06
I think David has said most of it, we all have done it and snapped an image, but nowadays I make sure they are right as I only have a few left in me. lol
Sorry not for me. Posted: 11/11/2024 11:24:07
Sorry not for me. Posted: 11/11/2024 11:24:07
You are relatively new to the Group, Mary Ann. I value each member and their honest critiques. It is a true Study Group and I have learned a lot from each person. Just saying something is good doesn't move us forward. To me, your subject is the cow with the grass in her mouth. I would like to see her stand out more. You could take out the cows rumps behind her and head below. I also would focus on adding texture to the front cow. If you had focused on the cow's eye and eating the grass, the subject would have been more apparent. Posted: 11/16/2024 18:30:19
Fran, thank you for your comments. I do appreciate the feedback as I want to learn and improve. I have been a member of Group 3 for a few years and have learned so much from the members in that Group. I anticipate the same will happen in Group 39 as I try black and white! Posted: 11/17/2024 19:41:31
My eye goes immediately to the cow's eye which would be a wonderful focus point if it were in better focus. As mentioned by others that might be sharpened in Topaz. The background is not distracting and contributes nicely to the scene. I do like the monochrome conversion; in the color version my eye initially goes to the green tag. Posted: 11/17/2024 21:23:05
Not easy to be (often, as usual ...) the last one...
Two comments: First, the problem of focus can be due to the low speed you had (1/125). You could increase the ISO up to 800, to have suffisant speed. The minimal speed also depend on each person. Some people can take picture at 1/60, I can't (too slow). Except for a specific intention, the speed is never to high. Your "war machine", namely the Z9 allows high ISO without any problem.
Secondly, I think the picture is either too crop (not enough cattle with the environnement) or not crop enough, to see one cow to eat, with focus on the eye and the hay.
I agree with Diane for the color version. Posted: 11/18/2024 17:28:44
Two comments: First, the problem of focus can be due to the low speed you had (1/125). You could increase the ISO up to 800, to have suffisant speed. The minimal speed also depend on each person. Some people can take picture at 1/60, I can't (too slow). Except for a specific intention, the speed is never to high. Your "war machine", namely the Z9 allows high ISO without any problem.
Secondly, I think the picture is either too crop (not enough cattle with the environnement) or not crop enough, to see one cow to eat, with focus on the eye and the hay.
I agree with Diane for the color version. Posted: 11/18/2024 17:28:44