[alfa75ts]

G'Day all,

I thought, since I had enough images that I liked, I would produce a calendar for family and friends for Christmas.

The problem is selecting which 13, so I would appreciate your input.

So, please vote for or against (just give the 4 digits after "IMGP").

Attached Images

         

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Last edited by alfa75ts; 10-19-2017 at 03:20 PM.

[carrrlangas]

Hi, I like the ones I list because the background is interesting aswell as the subjects and there are very few or no distracting elements in them.
8184
7633
9508
0152
5553
3299
7506

[ccc_]

8184
3113
7633
9508
1102
0619
5553
7506
4170
0617
4834
7572
0406

I do this every couple of years as well
as you have done I solicit advice after my initial paring

but here is something to consider...a more artistic shot suits other photographers and the general viewer

however birders get pretty amped up when you include the birds milieu

family will generally ooh and ahh no matter what you choose...so choose what you like

I shoot birds all year and generally get a few selected for publication by an ornithological group locally
they never ever choose the arty or dramatic shot
however the shots that I find sterile and uninspired...bingo!

it's all about your audience

good luck

[Des]

Sorry I didn't see your post earlier Craig.

Here's how I would choose:
1. If possible, a different bird each month. Means selecting no more than one each from your fairy-wren, lorikeet, galah, pelican and pardalote shots (as good as they are).
2. No introduced birds. No peacock.
3. As much diversity of types as possible: passerines and non-passerines, bush birds/water birds, etc.
4. Minimise human artifacts (including introduced plants) - this is just my bias; you might prefer the opposite, to connect with your home etc.

You have 48 candidates. Take out the peacocks, and that leaves 46. There's one or two I can't identify from the thumbnails, but this is the list as far as I can tell:
Multiples (with my pick of them):
- Rainbow lorikeet x 4 - 1077 (or 8184)
- Spotted pardalote x 12 - 9598 (good for spring)
- Superb fairy-wren x 6 - 3113
- Willy wagtail x 2 - 5553
- Australian Pelican x 3 - 3424
- Galah x 2 - 7572
- Singing honeyeater x 2 - can't see for sure; one might be Yellow-faced honeyeater. - 0617 (the other gives more context, but the crooked horizon is distracting)

One each of these (with my biases stated):
- Noisy miner? - Very cute, but the pots don't do it for me
- Crested pigeon - nice shot, but I don't like the fence
- Parrot in 3299 is not one I know - very nice shot
- Australian magpie - good profile, B&W works. If possible re-crop - if you have space where the bird is looking and less behind it works better
- Laughing Kookaburra - urban background doesn't do it for me
- Red-winged parrot? 8709 - hard to get, which compensates for the limited view in my mind; but others might not see it that way
- New Holland Honeyeater - I love NHHs, and this is very good
- Silver gull - good shot, but I would crop the bottom left a bit
- red-browed finch - personally I don't like the feeder in the shot, even though I have lots like this myself (not of the finches)
- Cuckoo? 0152 - good shot, nice bokeh
- Eastern rosella - like this one. I find it surprisingly hard to photograph them
- White-bellied sea-eagle? (0375) - very nice
- Masked lapwing - quite nice, they are very striking
- Emu - despite the fence, it has to go in. Coat of arms and all that.
- Crimson rosella - human structure

So that's 22 species. Only 8 passerines, so I would bias towards them - say 5 or 6. Only one raptor, so I would include it. Only one ratite, so the emu has to go in. If your donee are overseas, include at least 4 parrots.

So here are the ones I'd include:
Parrots:
- Rainbow lorikeet - 1077
- Galah - 7572
- Eastern rosella - 0279
- Parrot in 3299 Reserve selection: Red-winged parrot? 8709
Ratite:
- Emu 0375
Raptor:
- White-bellied sea-eagle? (0375)
Corvids/kingfishers:
- Australian magpie - 0619
Water birds:
- Australian Pelican - 3424. (Reserve selection: Silver gull 8652 or Masked lapwing 6132)
Passerines:
- Spotted pardalote - 9598
- Superb fairy-wren - 3113
- Willy wagtail - 5553
- Singing honeyeater - 0617
- New Holland Honeyeater - 7506 (Reserve selection: - Cuckoo? 0152)

Even if you don't share my biases, I hope the reasoning/classification will help.

I'm sure what _ccc says is right about people liking shots that aren't the ones you are proudest of. But, oh stuff it, it's your calendar. Choose the ones that express your own preferences. ;-)

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Last edited by Des; 10-15-2017 at 09:56 PM.

[alfa75ts]

Thanks for the opinions so far, it does help. I've uploaded slightly larger contact sheets.

family will generally ooh and ahh no matter what you choose...so choose what you like

I intend to, but the problem is I like too many

Thanks Des, good input.

1/ They are both Singing honeyeaters. I never really noticed the horizon, might fix it and see.

2/ Noisy miner? ~ Bell Miner. Just taken a bath so the pots have context but perhaps only to me.

3/ Laughing Kookaburra. ~ Mallacoota Urban? Well, sort of.

4/ Red-winged parrot? ~ Red-rumped Parrot.

5/ New Holland Honeyeater ~ A favourite shot.

6/ Cuckoo? ~ Fan-tailed Cuckoo.

7/ Eastern Rosella ~ Very timid, I'm still after a really good shot.

8/ White-bellied sea-eagle? ~ White-bellied sea-eagle.

9/ Crimson rosella - human structure ~ But it actually knocked on the door asking for a feed!

[ccc_]

Thanks for the opinions so far, it does help. I've uploaded slightly larger contact sheets.



I intend to, but the problem is I like too many

Thanks Des, good input.

1/ They are both Singing honeyeaters. I never really noticed the horizon, might fix it and see.

2/ Noisy miner? ~ Bell Miner. Just taken a bath so the pots have context but perhaps only to me.

3/ Laughing Kookaburra. ~ Mallacoota Urban? Well, sort of.

4/ Red-winged parrot? ~ Red-rumped Parrot.

5/ New Holland Honeyeater ~ A favourite shot.

6/ Cuckoo? ~ Fan-tailed Cuckoo.

7/ Eastern Rosella ~ Very timid, I'm still after a really good shot.

8/ White-bellied sea-eagle? ~ White-bellied sea-eagle.

9/ Crimson rosella - human structure ~ But it actually knocked on the door asking for a feed!

that is indeed the problem
however it is a nice problem to have

you've some very nice shots there

[Des]

I intend to, but the problem is I like too many

that is indeed the problem however it is a nice problem to have

Quite right.

1/ They are both Singing honeyeaters. I never really noticed the horizon, might fix it and see.

They are mainly a coastal bird, so the sea provides context.

2/ Noisy miner? ~ Bell Miner. Just taken a bath so the pots have context but perhaps only to me.

I should have recognised it, even with a small thumbnail. I've only ever got one good shot of a bellbird, so it's a good get.

3/ Laughing Kookaburra. ~ Mallacoota Urban? Well, sort of.

Well, I just meant it wasn't out in the bush. My prejudice again.

4/ Red-winged parrot? ~ Red-rumped Parrot.

Ooops, should have looked it up.

6/ Cuckoo? ~ Fan-tailed Cuckoo.

I thought it might be, but couldn't see the bars on the tail. I should have fitted this into the 13; it's very nice.

7/ Eastern Rosella ~ Very timid, I'm still after a really good shot.

I thought it was just me. :-)

9/ Crimson rosella - human structure ~ But it actually knocked on the door asking for a feed!

Crimson rosellas are one of our dominant birds here, and I love them. They are very photogenic. I could afford to wait for the perfect shot. But this one is very good.

Edit (19 Oct): Oh I can see much better now with the bigger thumbnails. They will make a great calendar. 8184 is the money shot, I think, but the pardalotes and Easter Rosella are standouts too. I'm warming to the crested pigeon (6246) and the bell miner (3399). (Sorry this probably doesn't help!)

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Last edited by Des; 10-18-2017 at 01:06 PM.

[sealonsf]

I'm not a birder so I'm going solely by how much I like the photos so if I were picking this is what I would do --- love the idea BTW, and love the photos:

3399
8184
7633
1077
3299
0619
3424
3113
9611
0152
5551
7506

[alfa75ts]

so I'm going solely by how much I like the photos

Isn't that what it's all about?

Thanks for your help.

[alfa75ts]

Ok, I've culled a few (added one) and re-posted the images in a standardised size.

Turns out I need 14 and there's a half price special for the next week so any help is appreciated.

Even just "I don't like ####" might help.

Thanks.

[Des]

Ok, I've culled a few (added one) and re-posted the images in a standardised size.

Turns out I need 14 and there's a half price special for the next week so any help is appreciated.

Even just "I don't like ####" might help.

Thanks.

I like 3387 - that's the new one isn't it? Young or female Satin Bowerbird, I think. Make that my 14th suggestion.

Singing honeyeater 4834 is much improved with the horizon corrected. I like the sea in the background for context. Either shot of the singing honeyeater would be fine.

Any of the spotted pardalote shots would be good. I think my new favourite is 9627.

There's not a dud shot in the list. Any combination of these will work well.

As a matter of interest, Craig, where are you going to get the calendar done?

[alfa75ts]

I like 3387 - that's the new one isn't it? Young or female Satin Bowerbird, I think. Make that my 14th suggestion.

Female. Done, might make the cover.

Singing honeyeater 4834 is much improved with the horizon corrected. I like the sea in the background for context. Either shot of the singing honeyeater would be fine.

Any of the spotted pardalote shots would be good. I think my new favourite is 9627.

Thank goodness, I thought I was going to have to overrule you on that one

There's not a dud shot in the list. Any combination of these will work well.

Just had to quote this bit

As a matter of interest, Craig, where are you going to get the calendar done?

Looks like BigW, half price on the A4 until Nov 1.

And thanks again Des.

[Des]

Good luck with it Craig. I got calendars done years ago (National Photos, from memory) - they printed well but the gloss paper wasn't good to write on. The other thing I learned was that I needed to choose all photos in landscape format or all in portrait format - you are already onto that.

[alfa75ts]

The other thing I learned was that I needed to choose all photos in landscape format or all in portrait format - you are already onto that.

Yep, sadly (or perhaps happily) it meant rejecting a whole heap of shots.

[Des]

Yep, sadly (or perhaps happily) it meant rejecting a whole heap of shots.

No no no Craig. What you mean is: "Fortunately this means that I have many wonderful images in portrait format from which I can produce a completely different calendar next year".

Just as an aside, it occurred to me that between us, the Australian Pentaxians could produce a ripper calendar of Australian wildlife. (Did you see Clackers' photo of the Powerful Owl recently? Wow.) Only thing is that that would really be a tough editorial job. Of course, someone like you with recent experience would be well-placed ... ;-)