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Can someone tell me what I have missed here. The light was gorgeous, I thought that I had everything lined up but this just doesn't wow me

Tips please. Click for a bigger version

The occupant is not female, in her early 20's and in a bikini?

Seriously though - what F stop did u use here? Perhaps a little too wide open?

I don't think this is a terrible photo by a long shot but the quite OOF background and almost blown face/chest seems to me that this was shot quite open.

I'm sure some PP could ehance it somewhat?

ISO 400 F2.8 1/800th

He is an ugly sucker isn't he

I was in another kayak with the D200 and 70-200VR. Probably could have one to f4 or 5.6 but I was sort of up against it with the low light levels

Steve I think u could definately have gone lower with your ISO and F up to say 5 ish.

Hindsight is easy

Hi Steve. Firstly I would say that the placement of light coming right over your shoulder and smack into his face has killed the modelling, and it is a shame that you didn't quite get the bow of the kayak in focus. Bumping up to 5.6 or even f8 would have been okay or drop your ISO to 200 and use f5.6 would still have been fine in a steady situation like this. Gotta remember the extreme length when photographing these critters and the effect that has on depth of field.
Now for the fun part. If you had stood up in your kayak with your nice, expensive D200:shock: , you would have dropped his head below the water horizon and the framing would have looked a little better. (Coming from a fellow kayak paddler, I would like to see you try it before I did. ). Try it again if possible and even try raising the camera over your head with a slightly wide angle and crop later.
Maybe not half under the tree shade? too. I would still try sharpening only the bows of the kayak and select the shady? aft sections of the hull and apply some selective Levels to give the foreground areas a little kick.
After all that, it is a nice shot and he should be proud to receive it anyway. I had a very quick stab at it if you don't mind.

How about some controlled vignetting in Photoshop using the burn tool around the edges of the image

I will have a bit of a play using all of the suggestion except for Col's idea of standing up in the kayak.

I think that I need to buy a plastic bag for my D200 before I take it paddling again though ... my nerves wouldn't cope with another session like that.


I should have mentioned that about the time that I took that photo we were being buzzed by 3 dolphins that reside in the area. Great fun but they have a habit of scaring the poop out of me by coming up right next to the kayak / boat. I had on rub its head against my hand a couple of weeks ago but no such luck on Sunday.

Sometimes, when everything looks great and the light is glowing....the image just doesn't work out the way we saw it, That's photography!

SteveGriffin wrote:I will have a bit of a play using all of the suggestion except for Col's idea of standing up in the kayak.I think that I need to buy a plastic bag for my D200 before I take it paddling again though ... my nerves wouldn't cope with another session like that.

Have a look at http://www.ewamarine.com/english/index.htm for your plastic bags. These folk have been around for yonks, so it may be the answer. It is one option I am considering. I was also going to rig the paddle float on the end of the paddle and secure one end to the deck and then lean on it whilst opening the Pelican/Storm case and using the camera. Given quiet water that is. Sort of an outrigger then.
Col

Have to agree, a prettier subject would have helped ( ) but seriously, I bought an "Equinox Extreme" bright yellow waterproof bag for about $35 last summer and took it out with me many times in my SOT kayak. I had no problems, just wrapped my D70 in a towel to keep it protected from bumps and off we went.

Ozi.