I told ya, I am uber critical 

What does my head in most is when I take a few shots of something from slightly different angles or perspectives, and show them to friends, most of the time they choose the ones I like the least, seems my view on what are my best shots are different to most peoples views!

I find it often helps to come back to shots a week or two after I took them. By then I can't really remember what I was trying to achieve, and I find that some of the shots I thought were rubbish to begin with are actually alright.

Hmm, good idea. I do find myself needing to go through and purge my shots though as HDD space is an issue with the file sizes going on

I'm also having to remove photos from my photo site that I feel aren't quite good enough, as I'm trying to start to break into selling the images, which is going to be tough given how many free nature photos are out there!

Its great that you are massively critical. I think you may be judging shots based more on technical issues rather than the composition and overall effect of the shot, hence you often like different shots to those viewing them.

A technically perfect shot can be an increadably boring image, whereas some shots which are terrible technically can be amazing.

I think your drive for perfection will pay off though, once you are technically perfect and taking nicely composed images im sure they'll sell like hot cakes.

So here are a few from "the big day" where we went to a site with Breeding avocets, took 1048 photos, after going through and deleting rubbish ones I'm down to 367, but those are as focused as they're gonna be. All hand held at 400mm.


Reed bunting by Chris_Moody, on Flickr


Avocet 1 by Chris_Moody, on Flickr


Avocet Chicks by Chris_Moody, on Flickr


Avocet Flier 1 by Chris_Moody, on Flickr


Avocet Flier 2 by Chris_Moody, on Flickr


Avocet Flier 8 by Chris_Moody, on Flickr


This is my favourite from the trip. I've got the whole sequence, from the Avocet sneaking up on the gull, to the gull flying off

Avocet attack 2 by Chris_Moody, on Flickr


This one was with my 100mm macro, some baby tits kept poking their heads up to see if I was still there, so I took a shot

Baby Tit in a box by Chris_Moody, on Flickr

Looking good!! 

the 1st 3 in that latest set dont look to great tbh
are you a member on photography-on-the.net
worth asking for QQ there.

They are all pretty much 100% crops, 400mm wasn't enough to get any closer.

Given the heavily overcast and occasionally raining sky, distance, handholding, and 2nd time using the lens I don't think they're that bad. If I can't get any better in better conditions and with practice I think I'd start to look into it more.

What doesn't look good? Colours? Noise? Sharpness?

mostly because your focusing through grass.. I hate it in the UK how its difficult to make photo's pop because most days are overcast/cloudy.

Indeed. I'd agree about 2&3, #1 though I think the grass works. Unfortunately I couldn't leave the hide and climb on the roof to get a clear shot!