experimenting with crops, comments welcome

[village idiot]

I think I've been centering my subject matter too often in most of my shots, so this afternoon I've been trying to move the focus of the picture for effect. These were taken this morning at Long Hunter State Park just outside of Nashville. Comments?

[eccles]

Obviously the basic pictures are pretty competent, but my opinion is that picture two works better than picture one.
Picture one's background is neither smooth nor interesting so it's a distraction that a closer crop on the bird would avoid.
In picture two the twig in the foreground leads the eye in an interesting way to the bird, so I like that one.

[hTr]

Bob both Pictures are Very Good, The first I would Crop off top (just below the two OOF branches up-left corner)and Right side and Blur and Darken BG. The second I would Crop off left side leaving a bit away from tail and bottom to RH corner the branch starts and Selective blur BG.

[village idiot]

Wow... you guys have very specific (and constructive) advice. I think composition is in the eye of the beholder, but both of you post much better shots than I ever have, so I should listen.
Gary, I have no idea how to do selective background blurring. In fact, if I don't get the background blurred in camera with depth of field methods I never have in my finished product... which is probably about as primitive as you'll find on this forum. My photoshopping skills are next to nil, something I hope to remedy. I could learn more in an hour with one of you pros than I've found for myself in a year. Is there an on-line tutor for Photoshop?

[Duane N]

I won't comment on the pics...you have some very good advice already.

As far as Photoshop..I'm like you when it comes to using it. I take some spare time and just play around with some filters ocassionally just to see what happens....I've found the trial and error works for me...I usually stumble onto things this way and I read alot on here and other forums on things to do or try.

Good luck.

Here are some links I read and try ocassionally...

http://www.worth1000.com/tutorial.asp

http://www.planetphotoshop.com/category/tutorials/

[village idiot]

I won't comment on the pics...you have some very good advice already.

As far as Photoshop..I'm like you when it comes to using it. I take some spare time and just play around with some filters ocassionally just to see what happens....I've found the trial and error works for me...I usually stumble onto things this way and I read alot on here and other forums on things to do or try.

Good luck.

Here are some links I read and try ocassionally...

http://www.worth1000.com/tutorial.asp

http://www.planetphotoshop.com/category/tutorials/

I greatly appreciate the links! Will scribble back when I've had a chance to check them out... sure couldn't hurt!

Bob

[pttenn]

Beautiful background on #2, I like the first shot but the background is a little busy. I would have cropped the chick a little more on the left side so there was more room to the right where he is looking. Just me.
Karen

[OUTLAW PHOTO]

Back ground is a little to busy on the first one , and the second is way cool but i would like to see a little more to the right and crop a littlle off the left. Also, make numerous copies in photoshop and line'em up with differant crops. See what you like best.