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Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Naturally Framed (Advanced Editing IV)
Camera: Nikon D100
Lens: Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8
Location: bedroom
Date: Jun 5, 2005
ISO: 200
Shutter: 1/400
Galleries: Animals, Macro
Date Uploaded: Jun 5, 2005

 Shot with reversed 50mm lens.


~~~~~~~~~~
This is my cat's eye, for those of you who wondered what the heck it is :)

Original intent for this challenge: to photograph a macro of my cat's eye and show that it is naturally framed by the surrounding fur. Is it a stretch in terms of meeting the challenge? I don't think so, although some others have disagreed...

Seen here is my very cooperative model from the Pet Portrait challenge. It's nice to have a cat who likes to sit still and doesn't mind having a camera pointed at her in close proximity. She is unique in that way and in some other ways too but we won't get into that!

How it was shot: First off, if you're wondering how close I got, I did get very close! Probably only a few cm away. I expected her to flinch or move so I set my shutter at 1/400 to ensure I'd get *something* in focus. I ended up underexposing but luckily was able to bring it to life through post editing.

I placed her in the sunlight coming in through a west-facing window to get as much light on her eyes as possible. I wanted to bring out as much detail as I could by constricting the pupil while also keeping shutter speed fast. She was attracted to something outside the window so her gaze was just at the right angle to capture the reflection of the windows and sunlight.
As much as I'd like to say I planned it, I'd never even considered the possibility of catching that so clearly. Luck definitely played a role there.

So, with the added element of the window/sun reflection in her eye, you could say that it is framed by her eye as well. However in terms of meeting the challenge, I do consider that a bit of a stretch as I've learned from past experience that it would have gone unnoticed to those who look at the shot for only a few seconds. I'm glad it didn't go totally unnoticed though :D

This was a record setting entry for me.

+first ever DQ request (that was exciting! heh)
+most comments during a challenge
+most faves during a challenge
+most dramatic score increase - from barely above a 6 the first couple of days
+most enthusiastic and encouraging comments ever


THANK YOU SO MUCH everyone for your comments and faves!

Statistics
Place: 8 out of 223
Avg (all users): 6.6368
Avg (commenters): 8.5667
Avg (participants): 6.0727
Avg (non-participants): 7.1858
Views since voting: 4514
Views during voting: 405
Votes: 223
Comments: 53
Favorites: 47 (view)

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AuthorThread
 03/17/2007 04:08:03 PM
This is an awesome macro! I love this shot. Cat's eyes are so beautiful...All the irridescent colors! Great shot.
 10/02/2006 06:40:00 PM
smyk: thanks for the comment. i did have high hopes for this one :(
this had the oddest voting pattern of any shot i've ever submitted, and I feel lucky to have finished where I did.
 09/28/2006 09:49:14 AM
I know this is an old submission, but how in god's name did this not ribbon?
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/16/2006 05:06:59 PM
hey canadian_eh, thanks! made my day fer sure :D
 09/16/2006 04:52:39 PM
47th fav :-) Very Nice!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 08/14/2006 05:24:18 PM
Unbelievable.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/01/2005 08:24:55 AM
omg...im stunned...this is amazing ! it took me 2-3 seconds to realize it was a cat's eye...great shot.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/29/2005 05:04:35 PM
Wow!!! I dont know what to say? Brilliant capture and I got totally stuck in this picture! First time i see it now! In my fav....
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/30/2005 02:20:09 PM
OMG - How did I let this slip through my favorites?
This is absolutely breathtaking!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/30/2005 01:34:24 PM
AMAZING capture! I absolutely love it!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/14/2005 05:21:01 PM
What a magical picture!!! Thanks a lot!!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/13/2005 10:29:31 PM
congratulations on top ten finish, Bella. I knew it would be somewhere near top, I was hoping for top 5..astounding cat to let you get so close; enjoyed reading your comments about composing the picture.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/13/2005 01:59:29 AM
wow, amazing macro!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/13/2005 01:15:02 AM
This is unquestionably the coolest eyeball shot I've seen on this site (or for that matter probably anywhere).

Brilliant shot.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/13/2005 12:26:49 AM
arghhh you got robbed!!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/13/2005 12:09:14 AM
Great capture. Congratulations on your top ten finish.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/13/2005 12:03:25 AM
A gorgeous and fascinating shot. Congratulations on top ten.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
06/12/2005 11:58:13 PM
Amazing capture. Bumping up.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/11/2005 07:09:08 PM
Very well done. Man - talk about close up.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/11/2005 05:27:55 PM
Awesome shot. 10
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/11/2005 05:00:17 PM
Utterly jaw-dropping image. Striking colour and subject and I love the approach to the challenge. (Yet another) fave.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/11/2005 03:59:01 PM
wooooow!!! How did you manage to capture this??? amazing!!!
I am comlpetely speechless!
Got the idea re the challenge, and simlpy amazed by this unique capture.
10 and streight into my favorites!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/11/2005 02:34:53 PM
I gotta say it...AMAZING!..I don't think I have ever seen a macro shot of a cat's eye like this...so so very close...like I'm looking into some other world...a really wonderful image.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/10/2005 02:22:05 PM
great macro shot. I might have cropped the right a little tighter, but that's just personal preference, it still works great the way it is. 10
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/09/2005 08:19:33 PM
Whatta macro! How'd you do that?? Remarkable in every way.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/09/2005 02:31:25 PM
Simply amazing... WOW (10)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/09/2005 11:12:19 AM
This is a great shot, went to my favorites right away, Wish I could get my animals to stay put this long;-)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/08/2005 11:31:58 PM
Just beautiful, am I right that it's your cat's eye? 8
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/08/2005 11:00:21 PM
Wow! That one starburst glint gives the image an "outer-space' abstract quality. And the irredescent green is simply amazing. Now I've got to take a closer look next time one of my cats is asleep in the sun - 10
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/08/2005 10:46:34 PM
Absolutely stunning shot, which I am sure tons of other comments have already told you. Can't wait to see what lens you used for this. Anyway, fantastic shot!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/08/2005 12:21:54 PM
this is something I have wanted to do with my blue-eyed siamese, but doubt she will sit still for it. This is so beautifully done. Perfect focus and dof, incredible color! My vote for the red.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/08/2005 02:32:32 AM
what is it, great macro but can't apply to challenge
 06/07/2005 11:25:20 PM
Wow the detail here is incredible. Makes mewantto look at the world under a miscroscope. Definitely let us know what this is when the challenge is over. Cat? The out of focus area on the bottom left is a little distracting but the overall impact of the iamge is truly powerful.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/07/2005 07:21:45 PM
This is a great macro shot...love the clarity of the iris, the color, and the curve of the eye...8
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/07/2005 03:33:01 PM
Holey moley, that's some macro! WOW!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/07/2005 02:48:24 PM
Pretty neat, those who don't linger may not "get it".
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/07/2005 02:35:02 PM
The frame being the curvature of the eyeball reflection? What a picture! Excellent crispness and detail right where you want it:)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/07/2005 01:56:01 PM
very cool 10, amzing DOF
wouldnt be suprised if this won
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/07/2005 11:52:02 AM
well done. Congrats !
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/07/2005 02:48:11 AM
This is the most amazing photograph I have ever seen. I don't know much about photography, but this photo blows my mind. Way to go, I hope you win! I didn't even notice the window frame within the eye until my 15th time viewing the photo. I orginally thought that the eyball was framing the iris, or the fur was fraiming the lens and the eye was the windo in which the cast used to see out of. Once again this photo is AMAZING!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/06/2005 11:05:45 PM
Cool shot :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/06/2005 08:18:00 PM
Wow. WOW. _WOW_.
What an incredible shot! How on earth did you get the cat to hold still for this?? This is absolutely without a doubt the _best_ macro I've seen of an eye - any eye. The colors....The detail....The texture...The DOF...The lighting....

WOW. Definately a 10.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/06/2005 06:17:57 PM
Whoa whats that. it looks awsome. great job at cathing the sun in the reflection and also no showing the camera lense.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/06/2005 05:34:52 PM
holy freakin crap. this is incredible. perhaps not the best for the challenge but I bet it will still do very well if not ribbon.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/06/2005 05:25:44 PM
Outstanding macro - good job.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/06/2005 03:57:58 PM
just have to say WOW, AMAZING, BEAUTIFUL. Sorry I can't vote, you'd get an 11.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/06/2005 01:42:36 PM
Incredible macro.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/06/2005 06:40:08 AM
This is an amazing picture that would surely place in a free study - but I can't understand the link to this challenge. In a free study, I'd give this a 9, but for "Naturally Framed" it looks like a 6.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/06/2005 06:24:46 AM
wow this is one of the best shots I've ever seen! love it!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/06/2005 05:15:31 AM
Wow! Beautiful!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/06/2005 01:17:25 AM
WOW. I imagine you're getting a lot of great comments on this shot. Truly spectacular!! Just great.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/06/2005 12:25:58 AM
wow, thats really cool, a bit scary but cool nontheless.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/06/2005 12:23:52 AM
Unbelieavable capture. That is close!
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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