Trying something different with wildlife pics, give me your feedback!

They are very interesting to me so just based on that I would say there is some value to what you have done with the post processing.

Since your intent is to do something different and create some more intrigue in your subject matter I think you have done just that.

Aaron

Thanks for the replies. I would love a long lens, but it's nowhere near the top of my "next to buy" list.

AlFooteIII wrote in post #16835310
Your post processing is interesting -- it actually looks very filmic (as in like a frame from a motion picture). As single images, I'm not sure if it works for me, but if this WERE video, I'd love the look.

I do like the meditating chipmunk (or should that be chip-monk)!

To add to that, I think this could also work as part of a cohesive body of work with every image having a similar look.

But yeah, I basically agree. As a single image these are like, "that looks a little weird." I suspect it would work better if there were more images that either have an ongoing narrative or a common theme that ties in with the processing. Motion picture seems to be the most obvious way to accomplish this, but I think it could still be done with still images. I just think it needs more images to pull it off.

One thing I might have done is open the aperture just a little bit. I noticed on the chipmunk you were at 2.8 and at 1/400th shutter. I would have opened up a little bit to get more of the body in focus and you could have dropped the shutter a little bit to compensate.
But I think if you had several different forest critters all done on the same way, you could create quite a collection of work. I am just impressed that with a 150mm you were able to get so close. Those chipmunks are skittish little critters, you had to really work to get that close.

OP had the right strategy, sneak up while his eyes are closed!