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Robin comes to tea.

© Peter W. Marks

Robin comes to tea.

Uploaded: January 08, 2012

Description

1/50sec;f9.0;ISO 800; 20mmfl

Port Holland, Cornwall, UK

Exif: F Number: 9, Exposure Bias Value: 0.33, ExposureTime: 1/50 seconds, Flash: did not fire, compulsory flash mode, ISO: 800, White balance: Manual white balance, FocalLength: 20.00 mm, Model: Canon EOS 50D

Comments

Stephen Shoff January 08, 2012

Some things to consider:

Use some foliage to replace the bright areas in the top left and to the right of the napkins.

Or, consider a 4x6 crop from about the top of the green on the upper left down to the lower right. This loses some of the size perspective but does help eliminate the brights along the top and increases the size of the robin to help it stand out better.

There are other crops (8x10-type0 that would serve to eliminate the distracting bright areas on the and help emphasize the red bird, but they cut out some of the nice object placement along the right border. The crockery is the nicest part of the imagery.

I think your sizing and upload to BP didn't work very well and we aren't seeing the full potential of this image. #1435308

Michael Kelly level-classic January 09, 2012

Peter a fun shot with the birds coming to breakfast. I do agree with Stephen that the bright area in the back makes it very difficult to see the bird on the right. Because of that, I agree that a crop might be the best solution to this one. I also agree that perhaps you sized it wrong for the translation into better photo. You might try another upload with a different size to see if you get a better translation. It just has a kind of "fuzzy look" to it. I have seen this before with some of mine when I upload them. Remember to use 1500 pixels on the long axis. #9910590

Anthony L. Mancuso January 09, 2012

I agree with the boys Peter...a fun shot but I think the poor resolution detracts from it..hoping you can improve it with Mike's suggestions... #9911462

Rita K. Connell level-classic January 09, 2012

what a delightful image pete I see you have a finch as well, how fun to have them landing right on the table and capturing them as well.

I agree with the guys on the poor resolution does detracts from this very nice image that you captured. #9911572

Peter W. Marks January 09, 2012

Gentlemen, of course you are all correct and you have challenged my propensity to procrastinate. Sigh!!
I have just purchased a new more powerful computer and am spending so much time trying to sort through the files on the old one rather than just copying all the junk onto the new one. It will probably never penetrate my skull as to why I have image folders of boats in Cornish fishing villages in 2005 containing flower images of my back yard 2009. Never could find them when I wanted them.
So I will get round to following your advice asap and let's see what I can come up with.
Although it is not obvious from the image, the 'table' was an old granite mill-stone. The robin was quite comfortable and hopped ever closer to see if we had dropped any crumbs from the scones we had just eaten with blackcurrent jam and clotted cream. The jay towards the back was far more nervous and the sound of the camera shutter soon had him making off.
Thanks friends. #9911594

Peter W. Marks January 09, 2012

And thank you Rita; our responses cossed over. I have been up since 4am and I called the second bird a 'jay' Thanks for reminding me it was one of the finch family. I am going to bed my head is scrambled! #9911601

Dale Hardin January 09, 2012

Peter this image made me want to join the robin for breakfast. Especially once I saw that jam. :o)

Agree with Stephen and Mike's assessments and sympathize with you on the new computer issue. I'm going through the same thing as we speak.

By the way, I did notice and knew what the mill stone was. #9911646

Peter W. Marks January 10, 2012

Thanks Dale. But if you have never experienced clotted cream along with the jam on your scones, then, if you are living clean you have this to look forward to in heaven. It is a cornish (although the Devonshire folk also lay claim to it) delicacy. It would make a heart-doctor cringe, but we pass this way but once.
#9912113

Dale Hardin January 10, 2012

Amen. #9912542

Stephen Shoff January 10, 2012

I did notice the markings on the table. Figured there was something behind that but didn't know what. This is Cornwall, after all. Could be an old Druid sacrificial stone. Whatever it was, it would have been a shame to crop it out and lose that identity.

We must have all had a good Christmas. I have a new computer too. Spent Christmas holidays reinstalling software. #9913695

Debbie E. Payne January 11, 2012

Enjoyed the "banter" on this one, Pete and think it has a LOT of potential if you try the suggested crop.
As for clotted cream - it doesn't sound very good but I know for a fact that it is wonderful. This little tea shop close to home has tons of different kinds of tea leaves and she makes scones and clotted cream and each day she has a new flavor of iced teas which are to die for.

Anyhow, back to the discussion. Michael - When you are talking about 1500 pixels on the long end are you talking about for yourself or for BP. BP is only 800 or so, right??? #9915652

Michael Kelly level-classic January 11, 2012

This is for BP. They have two different suggestions, but as Stephen said it is 1600 pix on the long edge of the photo. This is the length measurment in pix which you set in PS under image>image size. #9915680

Peter W. Marks January 12, 2012

The whole sizing thing is a mystery to me. BP seems to be rather vague about what the optimum sizes should be. 1600 on the long side seems to be the flavor of the month but not too long ago there was much discussion on Q&As that 480(rather than 500) on the short side gave the best result. I read somewhere else on BP that their software will automatically resize images that are larger than the 1600 but doesn't seem to tell us whether this degrades the images!
My old eyes can recognize a pretty girl at a hundred paces, but soft/not soft imageon my monitor? Nah!
I think I need two identical monitors set up side by side to even see some of the before/after differences on our friends' images here.
Just as another aside re sizing, I have realised that one needs to be careful to note the dates of Q&As on here as some of the stuff is four or five years old and BP was going through its big changes of web page designs which seemed to affect uploaded images according to many folk who know infinitely more about such things than I. #9916156

Peter W. Marks January 12, 2012

I had trouble trying to improve my original; just don't have the skill.
Here is another version and I think I have overdone the adjustments on this one but these images served the intention I had which was to record a happy moment on the vacation. We came across the delightful setting of this place which was in a tiny secluded wooded valley in Cornwall and had originally been a waterwheel driven grain mill. The century old buildings were a rustic tea rooms and small museum of old farming and milling tools.
#9916831

Dale Hardin January 12, 2012

Peter your first image told the story very well and needed very little tweaking. As you've surmised, this last post is a bit over the top. But I'm very impressed that you made the effort to incorperate some ideas that others saw in your image.

But in the end, it's always, "to thy own self, be true" :o) #9916836

Peter W. Marks January 12, 2012

Thanks my friend. The mill, Melinsey Mill is just outside the small village of Veryan in Cornwall. It is contrary to what I had first said, not just a century old but restored medieval. I keep forgetting that it is you and I who are galloping on towards a century old!
#9916961

Stephen Shoff January 12, 2012

I like the cropped version. It certainly does look like a happy moment. Just the kind of thing you go to England (or New England) for. #9917310

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