Lil' horny guy

Redeyejedi · Feb 14, 2012

comment, criticize, critique, convey

does the Dof i used here work with the subject? should i have stopped down a bit?
1.

Horny Lizzard3 by Heavy Surf Advisory, on Flickr

does the background take away from this shot?
2.

Horny Lizzard2 by Heavy Surf Advisory, on Flickr

thanks,
Aaron

Bossy · Feb 14, 2012

Both are cropped too close IMO.

Studio7Four · Feb 14, 2012

Since you asked, I do think you should have stopped just a tad. It looks like you did a great job nailing focus on his (her?) eye. In the first shot I have no problem with his body getting blurry as it goes back into the distance, but I would have liked to see the depth of focus extended a bit more toward the camera, so that his nose were sharper. In the second I think it would have helped to have the horns on the far side of his head still in focus as well. I expect you could have extended the depth of focus enough to have accomplished this while keeping the background sufficiently out of focus.

Also since you asked, I do think the background, particularly in the second shot, could have been selected better. (Well, ideally it could have, if this were a pet which you could reposition.) The background is sufficiently blurred that you get great separation between the lizard and the background. However, the background in the second shot has three distinct zones (white, green, dark) which create a pattern which has a little life of its own. I think had the lizard been shot against just one of these zones (even the busier green zone) it would have been fine.

Redeyejedi · Feb 14, 2012

bossy, neither are cropped iirc.

s74, thanks for the input.
if i get the opportunity to shoot him again, i will try to watch out with the background and stop down a bit to get more in focus.

thursdae · Feb 14, 2012

Bossy is just saying you need to bring the camera back a bit and capture a bit more of him. and I agree, just a tad too close

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Majeed Badizadegan · Feb 14, 2012

Nice thread title

Redeyejedi · Feb 14, 2012

ok, i understand the suggestion better now, thanks.
i will look to capture more of him in the frame. initially i was attempting to fill him in the frame but emphasize his eye.
curious, how much more of him should i include? i tend to prefer exploring the detail rather than the form in this one.

@Rotanimod - thanks
at first was worried work UNserver would block the page once i titled it.