Another Deer... 10 years later: Greetings: Last time I made a submission was in 2001. How time flies! I took this quick shot yesterday in my back yard. Apparently, the doe was in my...

Kjohn Loc: Central Florida

Greetings:

Last time I made a submission was in 2001. How time flies! I took this quick shot yesterday in my back yard. Apparently, the doe was in my garden behind some shrubs. As I was walking back into the house I turned around and there she was strolling by. I shot this photo from about 20-25'.

How could I have gotten the shrub branch in focus too? I am still learning. Larger Fstop? Please critique.

Thank you in advance, Ken

Smiling Doe
Smiling Doe...

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rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

Ken, that turned out to be a rather nice portrait.

To answer your question, you'd have needed to use a smaller aperture to increase the depth of field. However, that would have necessitated using a slower shutter speed. That might have caused blurring due to camera or subject movement.
--Bob

Kjohn wrote:

Greetings:

Last time I made a submission was in 2001. How time flies! I took this quick shot yesterday in my back yard. Apparently, the doe was in my garden behind some shrubs. As I was walking back into the house I turned around and there she was strolling by. I shot this photo from about 20-25'.

How could I have gotten the shrub branch in focus too? I am still learning. Larger Fstop? Please critique.

Thank you in advance, Ken

UTMike Loc: South Jordan, UT

Good reflexes and a good shot, Ken! Bob summarizes your trade offs. I like your result.

BassmanBruce Loc: Middle of the Mitten

Nice shot, in addition to the above, I would prefer the shrub this way. If it was sharp it would compete with the deerfor the viewers eye.

TheShoe Loc: Lacey, WA

rmalarz wrote:

Ken, that turned out to be a rather nice portrait.

To answer your question, you'd have needed to use a smaller aperture to increase the depth of field. However, that would have necessitated using a slower shutter speed. That might have caused blurring due to camera or subject movement.
--Bob

How about smaller aperture + higher ISO or smaller aperture to gain the DOF + using PP to offset the underexposure?

Soul Dr. Loc: Beautiful Shenandoah Valley

BassmanBruce wrote:

Nice shot, in addition to the above, I would prefer the shrub this way. If it was sharp it would compete with the deerfor the viewers eye.

I concur, unfocused shrub keeps deer the main subject.

will

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

That could work, depending on the camera's characteristics when using higher ISO. Using processing to offset any deficiencies is really not a great idea.
--Bob

TheShoe wrote:

How about smaller aperture + higher ISO or smaller aperture to gain the DOF + using PP to offset the underexposure?

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

Kjohn wrote:

...How could I have gotten the shrub branch in focus too? I am still learning. Larger Fstop? ...

Personally I don't think the branch needs to be in focus.

It would have been made sharper by using a smaller f-stop (I didn't look to see what you used). It can be confusing, especially with digital cameras and the way some of them read out settings on their LCD screens. Because f-stops are actually fractions (focal length divided by x), the larger number means a smaller f-stop.

The entire deer seems sharp, and that's what's important for this shot. I wouldn't worry about the branch. Might even have used a larger f-stop (lower number) to blur it more strongly, but then part of the deer may not have been sharply focused.

Kjohn Loc: Central Florida

Thanks Alan. Very good info.

Kjohn Loc: Central Florida

Bob, Will and Mike: Thank you guys too for the great info. Ken

Kjohn Loc: Central Florida

Whoops, I meant 2011 not 2001. Sorry for the typo. Ken

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

merrytexan Loc: georgia

Kjohn wrote:

Greetings:

Last time I made a submission was in 2001. How time flies! I took this quick shot yesterday in my back yard. Apparently, the doe was in my garden behind some shrubs. As I was walking back into the house I turned around and there she was strolling by. I shot this photo from about 20-25'.

How could I have gotten the shrub branch in focus too? I am still learning. Larger Fstop? Please critique.

Thank you in advance, Ken

it's a beautiful shot of the deer, kjohn.

JimmyTB

I agree with all of the above viewers. Shallow DOF makes the doe stand out which is what I would want in a portrait like this. IMHO very nice image.

PaulBrit Loc: Merlin, Southern Oregon

Ken, it is a wonderful photograph and it captures the essence of this beautiful deer perfectly. I feed the deer here in Merlin (Oregon) in the morning and have a couple of stags who come really close and I have often wondered about how I would take photos.