Attached is a recent picture of a european chaffinch. Camera equipment is a Pentax Z1, 500 F4.5 SMC takumar with extension tubes. Film is Fuji Superia print 100 ASA. Image scanned on a Umix flatbed scanner - I think I have over brightened the image as it seems slightly washed out comapred to the original print. Other than intruding out of focus twig to bottom left of bird ay other comments?

-- Mike Smith (MSMITH8741@aol.com), July 19, 2000

Answers

What about trimming off a little from the right side. So the right side is just up to the edge of the twig. It gets rid of the out of focus leaf/twig in the upper right and focuses attention to the subject a little more.

-- Micheal F. Kelly (radiant@gci.net), July 19, 2000.

Nice shot, Mike. Using print film leaves you at the mercy of the processor. You might want to try some slide film in the future; I think you'll like the results. I agree with Michael that cropping the right side would improve the overall composition.

-- John McCormack (jpmccormac@aol.com), July 20, 2000.

Thanks for the feedback, For print film I have started using specialist processors rather than high street chains, the extra cost is definately worth it (LAB 35 for any UK "Webbers"). I have started to use Fuji Sensia 100 pushed to 200 ASA this spring, but I have found that the Unix Flat Bed Scanner with photo hood I use just cannot reproduce the slide detail, all scans seem to be slightly out of focus which I put down to he plastic mount lifting the Neg out of the scanner focal plane plus the shadow detail depth/contrast is poorly defined. - Roll on Xmas when Santa may bring a dedicated film scanner! Interestingly there is a noticeabe difference in reproducing photos on different computer screens, this image looks totally different on my latop TFT compared to home based Computer with NEC monitor - how does this affect the critique panel? Is there a "test" card on a website that can be used to set the optimum brightness/contrast settings?

-- Mike Smith (Msmith8741@aol.com), July 21, 2000.

Image display and computer screens is a big problem. It is not uncommon for an image to look entirely different from screen to screen. It is a complicated problem. Look at Microsoft's site and search for ICM profiles. The site http://www.aim-dtp.net/aim/index.htm has very techinical information on the subject.

-- Micheal F. Kelly (radiant@gci.net), July 21, 2000.

ET VOILA:-
-- Mike Smith (MSmith8741@aol.com), July 21, 2000.

Et Voila 2:-
-- Mike Smith (MSmith8741@aol.com), July 21, 2000.

I give up if it doesn't work this time, life is too short!

-- Mike Smith (msmith8741@aol.com), July 21, 2000.

-- Mike Smith (msmith8741@aol.com), July 21, 2000.

Mike, I think the end of the stick (on the right)is useful to balance the picture.

-- Micheal F. Kelly (radiant@gci.net), July 25, 2000.