For Your Critique: Image #15

This image was created with the Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II lens and the Canon EOS-1D Mark IV). ISO 50. Evaluative metering +1/3 stop; 1/4 sec. at f/29. For a greater appreciation of this image, click on the photo. Then click on the enlarged version to close it.

For Your Critique: Image #15

The image above was created at LeHardy Rapids, Yellowstone National Park. It was converted to black and white using NIK SIlver EFEX Pro. It is presented for your critique; feel free to praise it or rip it to shreds. Would you keep it or delete it? Let us know why either way, what you like or what you hate. What would you have done differently?

Over the course of the next few weeks I will present five additional images in this series for a total of twenty in all. The last will be followed by several revelations including two major ones.

One of the very best ways to grow as a photographer is to look at as many good images as possible. I do that often in books, by checking out contest result web sites, by critiquing images on Bird Photographers.Net (BPN), by visiting the web sites of the world’s best photographers, and by encouraging image sharing during Instructional Photo-Tours (IPTs).

If you would like to learn a variety of techniques that you can use to create pleasing blurs–they are very rarely serendipitous accidents–get yourself a copy of “A Guide to Pleasing Blurs” by Denise Ippolito and yours truly. Like em or not, pleasing blurs do well in the major international nature photography competitions.

You can save 15% on all NIK products by clicking here and entering BAA in the Promo Code box at check-out. Then hit Apply to see your savings. I have been using and learning and loving COLOR EFEX, Viveza, and SILVER EFEX. We will be bringing you lots especially on those first two soon.

Support both the Bulletins and the Blog by making all your B & H purchases here.

B&H On-Line ordering is available six days a week (Sunday through late Friday afternoons) as usual. More and more folks are earning multiple contest entries with their B & H purchases. See here for details on that. Eleven great categories, 34 winning and honored images, and prize pools valued in excess of $20,000. Click here to visit the competition home page.

Earn Free Contest Entries and Support both the Bulletins and the Blog by making all your B & H purchases here.

More and more folks are earning multiple contest entries with their B & H purchases. See here for details on that. Eleven great categories, 34 winning and honored images, and prize pools valued in excess of $20,000. Click here to visit the competition home page.

Shopper’s Guide

Below is a list of the gear used to create the images in today’s blog post. Thanks a stack to all who have used the Shopper’s Guide links to purchase their gear as a thank you for all the free information that we bring you on the Blog and in the Bulletins. Before you purchase anything be sure to check out the advice in our Shopper’s Guide.

Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II lens. Man, I am loving this lens on my shoulder with the 2X III teleconverter. I also use it a lot with the 1.4X III TC as I did here.
Canon 1.4X III Teleconverter. Designed to work best with the new Series II super-telephoto lenses.
Canon EOS-1D Mark IV professional digital camera body. My two Mark IVs are my workhorse digital camera bodies.

And from the BAA On-line Store:

The Lens Align Mark II. I use the Lens Align Mark II pretty much religiously to micro-adjust all of my gear an average of once a month and always before a major trip. Enjoy our free comprehensive tutorial here.
Canon EOS-1D Mark IV User’s Guide. Learn to use your Mark IV the way that I use mine. Also available for the 7D and the Mark III here.