A few swan pictures

pilgrim · Feb 15, 2004

Well I bought first camera with manual settings yesterday (Canon A60) and heres a few pics from today at the beach.

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3399%3B32723232%7Ffp58%3Dot%3E232%3B%3D48%3B%3D473%3DXROQDF%3E23234%3A74%3B%3A483ot1lsi

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Please tell me whatever you think, and if you have suggestions on how I can improve that would be rad.

Troy

Nytmair · Feb 15, 2004

i really like #1, the blue is right one i think. #2 however, is much too dark for my liking. i'd rather have the swan be white, rather than the grey/dark grey it is personally...but overall, very nice!

-Dan

soulfly · Feb 15, 2004

I love the first one. the second I'm not crazy about, too dull or flat looking, the third would be better if at least one swan had its head above water...nice shots though.

mrsid99 · Feb 16, 2004

I think I prefer the first one but I like the last one of the swans doing their ostrich impression.

vonnagy · Feb 16, 2004

hi pilgrim,

good to see ya back here! Cool pics here, i'll go against the grain with what people are saying and say number 2 is my favourite - after a little photoshop editing

Whats cool (even a bit funny) about that pic is if you lighten it up, it looks like the swan is drooling. I think black and white is an excellent medium for swan shots too.

Here are a few quick tips for pshoping the image to get the most white of it (if you want more details of how to just pm me):

1. Adjust the levels
2. Layers -> Apply Image color dodge at about 25% (for pshop 5.5)
3. Adjust the contrast a bit
4. or just use the dodge tool to lighten up the whites (the black lollipop thing)

One thing I noticed about these shots is that its looks like you've tried to go for the non-traditional swan shots - you know the kind where you just see a swan floating around with its arched neck in a lake (boring!). These are actually alot more interesting and candid! Though it may not suite all tastes here - kudos for experimenting!

pilgrim · Feb 16, 2004

Thanks for the kind words Vonnagy!
Since this was my first day shooting with manual settings outdoors, and only second day ever shooting with manual settings I wasnt too confident in my shots. The black and white shot wasnt even supposed to be black and white, I accidently had it set to that on my camera :lol:

And I was having sooo many lighting problems it wasnt even funny

, but I came out pretty happy.
I to like the second picture the best, not for the quality or lighting of the pic, but strictly for whats going on in the picture, I love the facial expression of the swan so much, I just wish the picture it's self was better :wink: