The horses eye

[Angling]

Hi

This is my first post on this forum. For a bit of background I have owned my camera for about 6 days now, a Nikon D40.

I have no experience of digital photography or even photograpy, I have been a happy snapper who dreamed of a DSLR for years and finally got one!

This image was taken for the eye competition here on the forum, but I was toooo! late.

I would like to know if this is a reasonable image, the 'idea' of the image was the reflection in the eye, and trying to capture it sharp was a battle.

I am unsure if it sould be cropped tighter, removing most of the background.

If you think it's crap please say as I want to learn:)

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23531788@N07/2251273376/" title="tilly-new by fishing Blog, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2151/2251273376_34dbc7d2b4.jpg" width="500" height="427" alt="tilly-new" /></a>

I am sorry but I have got a clue what "EXIF info" is?

EDIT:
f/stop f/5.6
Exposure 1/40 sec
Focal length 48mm

I edited the image also in PS elements 6, increasing the red channel a bit!

[Saralonde]

Welcome Angling!
EXIF data is technicqal information about your image. What we like to see included is Shutter speed, Aperture and ISO. It helps us understand the condition in which your image was shot and if you should change any to improve you picture.

[Angling]

Just a quick note to again ask for help regrding this image. It was posted a few days ago but I am yet to get any critique!

[Nicole]

It seems a bit noisy. I don't know if you used a high ISO or if the noise was caused by editing. Composition-wise, I don't think that cropping would be useful in this case because then it feels too cramped to me. The background is only slightly distracting to me because of the large white areas. The green wouldn't bother me as much, but the white tends to draw my eye away a little. :)

[pkd14u]

I think your depth of field may be a little too shallow. It would be nice if his eyelashes were in focus. I also agree that the image seems a little grainy. Did you crop this quite a bit to get just his eye? Or were you using a high ISO?

I hope that you don't mind if I put this here, but I took a photo of my horse's eye for assignment:reflection. So, my reason for taking it was the same as yours, to capture what was reflected in his eye. I shot this with my point and shoot before I got my DSLR. Here it is:

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pkd14u/2104396296/" title="Eye Of The Beholder by pkd14u, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2005/2104396296_87191e5f27.jpg" width="500" height="311" alt="Eye Of The Beholder" /></a>

pkd14u

[Mikkimak]

I think that this is a very interesting photo. I really like the tree reflection! I like it. :)

[Nicole]

Ah, I remembered someone had done a horse eye for the assignment, I just couldn't remember who. Nice example pkd14u :)

[Angling]

I sharpened the image to get the reflection as sharp as possible.

I see what you mean about the white area and will consider working around that. It was a really grey day and taking the shot in better light might help!

Regarding DOF, I am suprised at your comment. I thought the contrast of the clear eye against the soft foreground and background would have worked. Interesting and thank you.

Back to the drawing board.

[mr_hello88]

yeah, i agree that the white spot is a bit attracting my eyes rather than the horse eyes...maybe u can try to use photoshop to darken that area a bit? wonder it will help ..LOL

[lisa]

can i ask how the both of you with these pics got your horse to stand still?? My mare doesnt help me at all!

I like it but think the whole face/ eye area being in focus would have looked better with the background out of focus.

Its def something id like to try.

[Angling]

Keeping the Horse still!

Well it cost me about £2 in polos to keep her attention. I also took about 50 shots to get only 5 that were in focus.

Regarding including more of the face, the shot was taken for the eye's assignment - for a bit of fun and I wanted the eye to be large in the shot. The reflection on the eye is what I wanted, without me in the reflection but some subject matter i.e the silloute of the trees.

I will work on the back ground and try and loose the pale spot!

[owl]

Two of us viewing both pics in this thread each liked Angling's concept and color better. (Speaking for myself I would've liked clippers put to use on those lower lashes of pkd14u's). Back to the original question of this thread, the background didn't bother me a bit in Angling's shot. Regarding cropping any more, that would make a completely different image with a different impact. Bottom line, you can't please everybody :), but for just out of the gate, nice job, Angling!