This is one of many Red squirrel pictures I took on the Isle of Wight uk. Nikon F100 Tamron SP 300/2.8 plus 2x 125 f5.6 sensia II/100 scan 1800dpi (max optical of my scanner)

-- Steve Barnett (steve@badgerwatch.com), July 22, 2000

Answers

Hi, Not bad, but really needs better lighting, or flash to give some better catchlights and avoid that stuffed squirrel on a log look. Also a possible good candidate for some backlighting to light up the fuzzy tail. I would also crop out the bottom half of the log. However, it is always good to see a red squirrel, so much better than those grey tree rats :)Also, its better than any of my red squirrel photos, cause I don't have any.

-- jason elsworth (jason.elsworth@xtra.co.nz), July 22, 2000.

Should have used a little bit of unsharp masking to make it look a bit sharper here.

I like it it's well framed and the colors look good. One thing though is where is the flash. I miss the catchlight's in the eyes of the furry little critter. It's one of the most common mistakes in animals. Set the flash for 1 1/3 to 1 2/3 underexposure and you will add the catchlights without being able to tell the flash has been used. Other than that a great image

-- Keith Anderson (andos@pacific.net.au), July 22, 2000.

Hey, here's that image; wish I'd seen you posted twice before trying to make the last one work.

Cute pose. I agree it could be a little sharper. Also, looks like you got a fingerprint on the print or slide; note the lines from the squirrel's til to LH corner. Careful how you handle them photos next time.

-- Christian Deichert (torgophile@aol.com), July 23, 2000.

Thanks for the comments guys, I have tried unsharp mask the problem I guess is the cheap and cheerful scanner I'm using. I agree 100% about using a fill flash my first attempt at this gave good ol red eye but now that I've mounted the flash off camera I hope my next squirrel trip will improve. I've put together a few un-cut straight scans of squirrel fox wildcat otter badger polecat at the link below comments welcome.

-- Steve Barnett (steve@badgerwatch.com), July 23, 2000.

more images

-- Steve Barnett (steve@badgerwatch.com), July 23, 2000.

Funniest looking red squirrel I've ever seen! Why is my browser showing a badger (meles meles)?

-- John Gardner (john@wildscenes.com), September 11, 2000.

Well I agree in my country this animal is called a Badger and a red squirrel is smaller and redder and looks like a bloody SQUIRREL

-- george gibb (g.gibb@diyprint.com), May 24, 2001.