An introduction

Welcome You have a real talent. Very pastel effects I like it

Thanks all - a very kind welcome!

Who says that the grass in the Stonechat picture spoils it? Get real, this is Nature, and in Nature, grass happens. I, for one, like it, and I think the shots are superb, well done.

PS The tutorial in tupes post is excellent.

Thank you, Mike.

I surely agree about the "real worldness" of the grass - but I'd still prefer it not to be there!



Tupe's article is interesting indeed - I'll certainly give it a go, but as a novice it isn't clear to me what it is about the linnet that setting the black and white points will fix!

Not a bad introduction Keith!! I really like the Stonechat - great sharpness and colours.

Keith, Those are very nice captures - love the DOF and color - Welcome. - Bob

Thanks guys.

Funny thing about the 30D/100-400mm combo: I routinely shoot at f/7.1, so I'm not really giving much consideration to DOF/separation of subject from background - this is exactly how I used the D70/Sigma 80-400mm OS combo I used previously.

Yet I routinely get what are to me, satisfying OOF backgrounds - this happened far less frequently with the Nikon kit.

I can't figure out why there seems to be such a big difference.

Don't get me wrong, I got some fantastic (for a beginner) images from the D70 and Sigma, but a decent blurred background was the exception rather than the rule, even though I am shooting precisely the same kinds of scene, the same way.

Welcome to the forum, and a nice introductory series indeed. I love the stonechat, and you are right about the blade of grass...but it's still not too bad of a distraction. Looking forward to more!!