Flashy Tufty

Hi Guys,

If I go out with the camera and the conditions aren't great I tend to get a bit restless and 'experimental'. I also as a rule like plenty of action and movement in my images - even when the subjects are stationary! Yesterday afternoon was very dull and grey and so I got the flashgun out and decided to mess around with some slow shutter speeds. For this shot I zoomed in while the shutter was open to try and accentuate the ripples, while using the flash to retain some sharpness in the duck.

I realise there are quite a few 'purists' here and so I'm just wondering what kind of reception this kind of shot will get. Obviously it isn't meant to reflect reality, but maybe I should think about keeping some of my more creative 'experiments' to myself?

techs: 100-145mm (approx.), 1/25s, f10, iso 200

I would love to hear your honest thoughts on this shot (whether you like it or not!) Thanks for looking (and for reading)!

Billy

Billy - certainly different and for me, better viewed 3ft from the screen than close up...... it kind of has a 3D quality at that distance.....

" Obviously it isn't meant to reflect reality, but maybe I should think about keeping some of my more creative 'experiments' to myself?"

Dont be so selfish! Lets see them!! Some of us thrive on alternative realities and welcome insights into the gnarlier recesses of the creative mind.

But seriously - I love this type of experimental shot - its great to think out of the box and try something different. We see too many images that are simply descriptive of what the subject IS rather than what it does, or what you feel about it and the experience of being in its presence.

I think you should do some more of this type of shot and see where it takes you. I love the maniacal expression on the tufty!

That an amazing result from what seems to have been a shot in the dark , what ever you thought the results would be you certainly achieved something very different.

Bob.

Thanks guys. Graham, I see what you mean about the 3D effect, maybe we should all have a look at it with some of those red and green glasses

Bob, wasn't really a shot in the dark - this was one usable frame from a whole CF card and an hour of messing about! I've also been experimenting with this effect for a while - with random household objects on my desk. A bit sad? maybe, but I get bored easily and it keeps me happy!

Billy

Quite like this... please don't keep them to yourself... we can all learn something new.

Hi Billy it is great to experiment.

"...and it keeps me happy! " I guess that's the most important thing really. I think it takes guts to post an image that has such personal creative investment when you suspect that many people viewing it might hate it. I find most wildlife photography pretty derivative, particularly my own, and I think forums like this one might tend to channel our creativity down a narrow path. That's not a criticism at all, just human nature I think. It's great that you are consciously trying to do something different.

Today I happened across this video on Zack Arias' blog: www.zarias.com/?p=284 which is not totally unrelated.

Cheers

Terry

Good to experiment or we would never move forward - nice to see something different - keep it up!

Mark

That duck is using the force! If you could get that effect at eye level you're on to a winner in my book.

Stay out of your box

Chris

That duck is using the force! If you could get that effect at eye level you're on to a winner in my book.

Stay out of your box

Chris

Thanks for all the nice comments! Chris, I did get some from a lower pov but the effect isn't so obvious - I quite like the radial blur of the ripples, which are lost at eye level.

cheers
Billy