| Underwater Photo Contest Entry |  by: Cat BriggsLionfish on the El mina wreck Hurghada Canon S95 votes: 10 vote |
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 Dear Cat,
Thanks for your submission to the contest and welcome to UWP.
You have requested a review of your photo (sorry for the answer delay, we’re all on holidays :-)).
Let me first shortly explain how it works :
As we do have a limited space for each post here, please note that my review will be like 3-4 posts in total. If you want to answer me, please wait until my review has been completed; as photo critics, we do this job as volunteers; a "thank you" is always appreciated 
My review is structured into chapters and I will list problem zones (if there are any) and I will suggest solutions on how to improve results.
Important : The "photo critic" feature here at UWP is not a putdown of uw photos. The objective is to see you here as a winner one day !
For the basics (in case of), an uw photography online course is available here at UWP and it's always a good idea to sign up for that one.
And here we go ! (Photo review starts with next post) :
| Raoul Caprez
16756 point member
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Photo Critique :
First impression :
Nice subject with a good approach.
Technical ( score from 1-6, best is 6 ) :
Exposure : 3, Colours: 4, Sharpness: 4, DOF ( depth of field ) : 4, Contrast : 4
Suggested Solution :
The picture is technically correct (with your camera)… even if the sharpness and the lightening could be improved a bit.
Lion fish are good subjects, but their fins can be a trap… I’m talking about their white parts … not so easy to light perfectly… it requires perfect strobes’ settings. The left fins of the lion fish deserved to be better lighted.
Note also that the light from your strobe reflecting back from particles in the lens' field of view causes specks of light which appear especially on the right in the dark background (backscatter). With external strobes in the right position - and long arms ! -, you can avoid it more.
A work in post production could « boost » this picture a bit.
| Raoul Caprez
16756 point member
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Composition :
A bit too centred subject, but it works
Close subject (good), with cut parts (voluntarily?)
Good neutral background
Suggested Solution :
Keep in mind the rule of third : in general, not to put your subject in the middle of the frame is a good idea to break the symmetry.
Then, to avoid giving the impression that you cut unwittingly some parts of the animal, I suggest you, without changing the angle of shooting (which is good), to go a bit closer.
You can also swim back like you’ve done 4 pics later (but there also especially, the lion fish is too centred … but it’s another story :-)).
| Raoul Caprez
16756 point member
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Subject
Lion fish are maybe one of the best friends of the underwater photographers : nice colours, they swim slowly and we can easily go closer … in fact everything we need : we have plenty of time to try different settings and compositions for our shots :-).
But there's a problem : there are a lot of Lion fish pictures in the contest and so it’s difficult to do something new with them.
Suggested Solution :
Your approach and your angle of shooting are good : an upward angle of shooting is often a good idea and especially with this animal which is often swimming with the head down.
Because it’s a common subject (we all like to take this animal in picture), it’s even more important to have a perfect or better an unusual approach to have a picture which attracts immediately the eye of the spectator.
| Raoul Caprez
16756 point member
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Epilogue
Welcome on UWP !!!
For sure, your subject choice is good, the technical aspect is correct, and the general impression is good.
Here, in UWP, as I said, there’s a lot of Lion fish pictures … it’s very difficult to do something new with this animal, but it’s always possible … have a look at these pictures, it will give you a lot of different ideas … then try to do something different to surprise every body.
Keep on a good work and for sure you're going to have more votes !
I’m now looking forward to see your next post.
All the best and happy bubbles.
Raoul (UWP Photo Critic)
--------Photo Critique completed--------
| Raoul Caprez
16756 point member
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many thanks for the feedback. I don't use strobes at present just the camera flash.
| Superdivercat
482 point member
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You're welcome !
Safe and nice dives to you.
Raoul
| Raoul Caprez
16756 point member
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