Bismuth

Thank you! That’s very helpful 🙂 Just editing to say: I’m not a bird photographer, but I am an avid birdwatcher, and that could be why I don’t like the “good” photos that are cleanly of the bird with little distraction. It’s unnatural. A bird lives in its habitat, not apart from it. Maybe a raptor perched on a vantage point has little around it, but it’s less common.

Still looks boring to me… but all art is subjective. For example, with wildlife, I quite like being able to see things like the wisp of spiderweb. I’ll remember what you said though - is it more classically correct to have less distraction? That is a helpful pointer. I like this one I took better. It is more interesting. New Holland Honeyeaters, if anyone is interested in the species. Amongst agapanthus, a nasty little invasive weed.

It’s a spider web. Those spiders - so inconsiderate… Thanks for the positive feedback 🙂 I found this photo a bit boring, I’m glad someone likes it. I do have better bird ones, but wanted to share one that I thought wasn’t so good for critique.

Good idea! I’m in a small city/large town of around 15,000 people in Australia. I could definitely ask places like that. Love what samstevens does, too. Sounds brilliant

Hey, just wondering what are ideas of things you can "do" with amateur photography? I have neither the talent nor the interest to attempt professional photography, but it is nice to do something constructive with what I have. So far, I have made greeting cards with my bird photos and sold them for charity at my local church, and I have done a few free pet photo shoots for low income earners. I can't do much of the free pet stuff because I have an assistance dog myself for a disability, so any person's cat or dog that doesn't like dogs wouldn't cope with me photographing them with my dog nearby. They were fun, though! This rescue cat was a challenge as she was very shy. I also act as the de facto family photographer for my immediate family. What do other people do?

Olympus E-M1 mk 3

First of all, EXIF data is aperture 4.0, shutter 1/500, ISO 800. Can provide gear info if requested, but I'm not certain it's important. Editing: crop, denoise and sharpen. I took this at the wetlands that are on the edge of town near me. Composition can be hard with birds because what you see, you get - you can't ask them to pose and you need to get the shot before they fly off. My specific question is, are there particular composition ideals for birding? Or is it just luck of right place, right time? Any other critiques also will be taken on board.

Yep, it is a fascinating metal. If you melt it and cool it, it will form interesting stepped pyramid shapes as it cools, and the oxidation process will make the pyramid rainbow coloured. They call it "Bismuth crystals" after that process. It is also used in medicine. Note: I didn't name Boof. He is a rescue. He is a complete boofhead though, so maybe it suits him! Thanks for the welcome 🙂

Hi. I've been doing photography since 2019, I started because I am an avid birdwatcher and wanted to photograph some birds, then I started trying other genres too. I have tried birding, macro, landscape, astro (wide angle), pet, and basically photographing anything. I feel a bit stuck. My photos are "nice", but no better than that. I feel like I'm doing the same things over and over and expecting different results! Am hoping to get some tips and inspiration from other photographers on here, and hopefully get better myself. This is just my dog, Boof. I took this one last night. Shutter 30, ISO 500, aperture 2.8 - wide open because it was dark. It would have been a better photo in better light and with greater depth of field, I expect. But it was not set up, I just wanted to photograph him. I include this photo only as way of introduction. I use Olympus mirrorless micro four thirds gear.