So umm, What would make these better? Pretty sure I screwed this up.

[LightSpeed]

Damn flowers. I couldn't move em without scaring off the beast.
In my opinion it screws the entire shot up.

So I sneaked all around the ravenous beast for a better angle and came right back with this.
I cooked each one a little different and still playing around in lightroom.
Additionally, I was just practicing and wanted to put the camera in my hands this afternoon.
#2

 

[Bossy]

I agree with you on #1, I'd toss it. #2 is a keeper though, such a cool texture!

 

[TheHobbyist]

I think #2 is excellent, his little claw almost looks fake.

Damn the flowers in #1.

 

[o hey tyler]

Toss 1 in the trash.

The purple/white part in #2 draws my eye pretty hard, but the subject is great.

 

[cgipson1]

Yo buddy! Either crop #1 really tight on the head... or toss it! #2 rocks..... (doesn't belong in the BEGINNERS GALLERY! lol!)

 

[LightSpeed]

Toss 1 in the trash.

The purple/white part in #2 draws my eye pretty hard, but the subject is great.

Thanks Tyler, and everyone else.

This is what I came up with for the final version. I wanted to try to bring out the aqua color below the eye.

 

[MLeeK]

NICE! I agree on the first one-crop tight or toss. The second one? Well, if that's messed up I'd have just plain f'd it up-really bad. Really really bad. GORGEOUS SHOT!

 

[LightSpeed]

NICE! I agree on the first one-crop tight or toss. The second one? Well, if that's messed up I'd have just plain f'd it up-really bad. Really really bad. GORGEOUS SHOT!

Thank you kindly ma'am. I try.

 

[mishele]

Beginner.......BOO!! lol

Cute little guy......#2 nice shot.

 

[One2]

Definitely like #2. Not sure how you could tight crop #1 and make it usable (look good)?

 

[Majeed Badizadegan]

what on earth are you doing posting in the beginner's forum??

:lmao:

Don't you have a D4 on the way??

 

[xyphoto]

Thanks Tyler, and everyone else.

This is what I came up with for the final version. I wanted to try to bring out the aqua color below the eye.

This is a nice one. Did you try to get rid of the purple flower in the background right above his head?

 

[LightSpeed]

Definitely like #2. Not sure how you could tight crop #1 and make it usable (look good)?

You can't.
I don't like cropping, period.
You knock pixels off a potential print.
Pixels are not all that important for web shots, but with experience, you can still see a heavily cropped image even at 800x600 on a web shot.
Don't get me wrong, I'll crop and image slightly, but if I have to crop it down to 5 megapixels to make it look good, then it falls out of what I consider a usable image.
It also means that I failed and could have composed the shot better in the frame, in camera. OR miss the shot altogether, trying.
A fail is a fail in the end = 6 of one and a half dozen of the other.

 

[LightSpeed]

Beginner.......BOO!! lol

Cute little guy......#2 nice shot.

Yo buddy! Either crop #1 really tight on the head... or toss it! #2 rocks..... (doesn't belong in the BEGINNERS GALLERY! lol!)

what on earth are you doing posting in the beginner's forum??

:lmao:

Don't you have a D4 on the way??

Oh boy..............here I am getting kicked out again with Gipson leading the charge.
I am adhering to the rules of the beginners forum!!!!!!!!!! Help!
I AM NOT THAT GOOD.

The D4 is just a camera. It won't make me any better, or worse, as it were.
Yes I might get a little bit better image quality, and considerably better high ISO quality......and.....well, nevermind.
It doesn't mean I'm a pro. It just means I'm going for the highest available image quality just in case I get a good shot here and there.

Can't I PLEASE stay in beginners? I won't cause any trouble.
I promise.

 

[Austin Greene]

Additionally, I was just practicing...

Lies, all lies. LightSpeed does not "practice," he only thinks up a badass photo and tells the pixels to get in line.