Here's the second set of promised pictures.

[pecunium]

Hummingbird Profile I started trying to recapture some of the colors which are so hard to catch. A single light source can't reflect in all directions. I think (the file isn't open) each of the five regions I was correcting had at least three tweaks of the color value, as well as hue, saturation and luminosity.	Too Much This was the first one I attempted to fix. I think I ended up with too much magenta, and that it's too bright; and lacks an accurate brilliance.
Grapevine B&W focuses on the textures of the subject	Lignified This is one of the vining tendrils grapes use to climb/attatch themselves. The next year they are woody and scabbed.
Mantid in Wisteria	Gold-toned Mantid
Mantid, and bricks This picture (as well as the tendril) show how much color changes the way things look. In the other two mantid pictures, one can't really see the bricks behin her, here they jump out.	Nymph A nymph of some sort, on a budding rose.
Pelican and Gull November, 2005, Avila Beach

Comments

[niamh-sage.livejournal.com]

Wow, the hummingbirds! So beautiful!

[indigodaisy.livejournal.com]

i love the nymph picture. the colors are so beautiful

[hundakleptisis.livejournal.com]

Beautiful pictures, thanks for sharing

S.J.

[antiquated-tory.livejournal.com]

Beautiful stuff! I'm about to get an SLR-like camera (a discounted Canon S2) in addition to my compact, so I should start to learn to do these things...

[pecunium.livejournal.com]

On my hobby horse here.

Unless you have 1: A Canon system already. 2: A deep and abiding love of the color balance of the Canon sensor, I'd reccomend a Nikon, or a Fuji, because Nikon has the better glass.

I used to say this didn't matter so much with digital, because the smaller image area means one is working in the sweet-spot of the lens, but some recent (about 1-year old) tests says that the fall off is relatively constant, and so the Nikon glass still has a notable edge.

If you do get the Canon (and money can be a big factor in making such decisions) and don't have a pre-existing set of Canon glass, I'd recommend getting Tamron (which makes a significant portion of Nikon's entry level glass).

The contrast is a little less than Nikon, and they are more prone to flare, but they are at least the equal of Canon, and cost less.

TK