can't resist picking up seashells: Thanks in advance for your critique!

FunkyL Loc: MD

Thanks in advance for your critique!

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lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

FunkyL wrote:

Thanks in advance for your critique!

That is cool photographing them on the beach. I collect worldwide Seashells, mostly purchased. I often take studio photographs of them.

Curmudgeon Loc: SE Arizona

The subject seems a little soft although looking at the sand grains it should be in focus. Maybe the shell was warn from tumbling around in the surf for a while. What lens and settings did you use?

FunkyL Loc: MD

Curmudgeon wrote:

The subject seems a little soft although looking at the sand grains it should be in focus. Maybe the shell was warn from tumbling around in the surf for a while. What lens and settings did you use?

camera Nikon D5100, iso 400, 1/1600, f8. Lens was Nikkor 55-300 zoom.

magnetoman Loc: Purbeck, Dorset, UK

I have the same problem, just cannot resist picking ‘em up!
With this shot I’d close in a bit on the subject and get it off centre. Then sharpen just the subject - and possibly play with the colours a little too. It will stand out nicely then.

FunkyL Loc: MD

magnetoman wrote:

I have the same problem, just cannot resist picking ‘em up!
With this shot I’d close in a bit on the subject and get it off centre. Then sharpen just the subject - and possibly play with the colours a little too. It will stand out nicely then.

I had tried cropping it closer, and know off center is generally more aesthetically pleasing... I ended up leaving it centered with a lot of OOF area around it to emphasize my spotting it from a distance and zeroing in on it as I walked "Ooh! Ooh! there's another! Is it pretty? Can I grab it before the next wave drags it back into the water?" I realize the viewer can't know that. It didn't occur to me to sharpen just the shell and try playing with it's color - sounds like a good idea, thank you, magnetoman!

jaymatt Loc: Alexandria, Indiana

Hip Coyote

IMO, the subject appears washed out or muddy. A photo like this has to be crystal-razor sharp with fine detail on the shell. The dead centering of the shell detract from the composition as well. Can you up the detail, focus and contrast of the shell?

FunkyL Loc: MD

Hip Coyote wrote:

IMO, the subject appears washed out or muddy. A photo like this has to be crystal-razor sharp with fine detail on the shell. The dead centering of the shell detract from the composition as well. Can you up the detail, focus and contrast of the shell?

Cropping to move the shell off center would be easy, but the shell was worn and badly stained, and I've worked on it a fair bit already. Cropping would make it take up more of the frame, and likely make it's less than pristine state more obvious. I'm thinking that if I want a shot like this, but better, I should learn from this one, and go for a do over next time I'm at the beach, bring one I've picked up in the past, so I can pick my time of day and not have to hope for one to wash up. Even if I choose not to work on this one further, I thank you for your critique and suggestions.