Critique Welcomed Summer's Back

[Dave Young]

Well, after the rain we had all day it appears the sun has got his hat on in Worcestershire... at least for the day.

The whole reason I found this place was I was googling around looking for info on the Fuji X10 which I have and am at present really not bonding very well with. I'm going away on holiday on Monday and still undecided whether to simply risk it or take my DSLR kit. So I'm hunting around looking for info and advice as to how to set up the X10 and understand it a little better and I came across you guys here.

Anyway, here's one I took this morning with the X10, which has been re-worked somewhat in Lightroom. I'm open to observations and comments as to what I can do better with it... after all that's what we're here for isn't it


Summer's Back by mrdaveyoung, on Flickr

 

[Rob MacKillop]

Very nice, Dave. Good depth of field and composition. Being hypercritical, the leaves on the left steal a bit o the limelight from the butterfly. Would it be mad to try black and white, given that the butterfly is almost that?

 

[Kev Pugh]

Hi Dave

Nice opening shot, I too use the X10, as my go everywhere camera, I think the set up is a very personal thing really depending on what you are going to be shooting, I tend to leave mine pretty much on Aperture Priority, and AF tracking which allows me to be selective or follow. I have the RAW button set for the quick menu so this can be quickly changed if needed, I shooting in RAW but have the film simulation set up to Velvia/vivid just to give me a feel for what I want to get after PPing.
I also have a couple of custom settings, BW being one, think you've seen I already like/prefer Monos.

Other settings Manual, I would only use if composing from Tripod or shooting at night Shutter Priority if I'm not worried about DoF.

For me it does pretty much what I want it to when I'm out and about, infact I'm away from Sunday and will only be taking the X10, well not true I'm taking the Oly OM30 and a handful of film, the D's will be staying at home..

Welcome again to the forum

Kev

 

[Dave Young]

Very nice, Dave. Good depth of field and composition. Being hypercritical, the leaves on the left steal a bit o the limelight from the butterfly. Would it be mad to try black and white, given that the butterfly is almost that?

Thanks Rob, appreciate your comments. Here's a 2 minute edit and by jingo I think you're onto something


Summer's Back 2 by mrdaveyoung, on Flickr

- - - Updated - - -

Hi Dave

Nice opening shot, I too use the X10, as my go everywhere camera, I think the set up is a very personal thing really depending on what you are going to be shooting, I tend to leave mine pretty much on Aperture Priority, and AF tracking which allows me to be selective or follow. I have the RAW button set for the quick menu so this can be quickly changed if needed, I shooting in RAW but have the film simulation set up to Velvia/vivid just to give me a feel for what I want to get after PPing.
I also have a couple of custom settings, BW being one, think you've seen I already like/prefer Monos.

Other settings Manual, I would only use if composing from Tripod or shooting at night Shutter Priority if I'm not worried about DoF.

For me it does pretty much what I want it to when I'm out and about, infact I'm away from Sunday and will only be taking the X10, well not true I'm taking the Oly OM30 and a handful of film, the D's will be staying at home..

Welcome again to the forum

Kev

Thanks Kev, I'm kind of settling with Manual mode at the moment, which is not really where I want to be with the X10 - it does what I want to, but it wasn't really what I bought it for. I really bought it as a pick up and take everywhere with me P&S kind of thing, which in manual it's not. The problem is when I pop it into Aperture mode, it really just doesn't seem to work like my 5D does in Aperture mode!

I think it's just a case of keep perservering with it! Seeing images like yours and others I see makes me want to keep going, but it is a frustrating so and so...

 

[Rob MacKillop]

It's not often I'm right, but that does look better to me...but don't make the leap of imagination to assuming I know what I'm talking about!

 

[Brian Moore]

I was going to say that I agree with Rob's observation about the leaves on the left. Then I see your edit and I see for sure that Rob was right. I like both pictures actually, but the butterfly gets more attention in the 2nd and it deserves it, too. Both nice shots, though.

 

[Rob MacKillop]

I need to lie down...

 

[Dave Young]

Thanks Brian, appreciate your comments. As I'm sure Rob does