A Stick for the Nest

[Katie Rupp]

This is from Venice Rookery, taken in March of this year. It's cropped slightly for composition, SH/H, curves and some sharpening. Does it work?

Canon 40D; Av f6.3, Eval @ 0; 1/1000; ISO 200 and 100-400L @ 400mm

[Nicki Gwynn Jones]

Hi Katie, what a beautiful image and you did well to capture such a perfect pose!! For me it looks a tad overexposed - could do with more detail in the white and a little more saturation in the yellow of the beak. Gorgeous action shoy - well done!!

[Lance Peters]

Hi Katie - I am sooo jealous - what a wonderful sight.

Pose and head angle look good - BG is excellent.
Does look a little over exposed and a bit soft around the wing area's - maybe a faster shutter speed - I suspect 1/1000TH is to slow to freeze the action - depending of course on how close you were to the bird.

Well Done !!!

[Anita Rakestraw]

Katie, agree with above comments/suggestions but still would be happy to have this, as I've not yet had the pleasure of observing these birds! I also think it looks a bit flat. Could probably improve it some, esp. if you shot in RAW. The whites don't look blown to me....over all, nice job!

[Nonda Surratt]

A dandy image! Love that pose! Agree on the exposure, its just a bit off. I'd be happy with this too.

[Alfred Forns]

Image looks really good Katie Just duplicate and multiply Will get the whites in order with density !!

All I could wish for is the wings spread out more !!! Love the hanging pose !!! Venice is a neat place !!!!

[Gus Cobos]

Nice landing position Katie,
I like the details on the whites and the twig in the bill. The blue sky makes him pop...:cool:

[Oscar Zangroniz]

Excellent composition Katie, love the action on this shot. I like it as presented.

[Desmond Chan]

I think overall it's a good shot. The bird looks like it was floating in mid-air...especially without anything in the background. I don't find the exposure a bit over as I can still see details in the light area. Except a few very tine spots on the head that have a RGB of around 249, the rest of the bird is 245 and lower. Just need a bit pp to bring out the details and make them more visible.

[Katie Rupp]

Thanks all, I knew this one was near the edge for exposure so I was being cautious with the pp and will now give it a push to pop it up. Desmond, thanks for the stats...

[WIlliam Maroldo]

actually I think the exposure and techinicals are quite good, although there are a few problems. The concept is what I
have a problem with. Since there are no background objects for reference points, like an object the bird is about to land on, there is no real indication that the bird is in flight, though it must be. It is like it just hangs there with wings slightly apart on an invisible object. Very unsettling to me! If there were visual clues that helped explain the birds position, or if the wings were spread and the body in a more horizontal position, more of what we expect of bird in flight, then a "frozen in time moment" would make more sense. I think there is a psychological component that makes great photographs that hasn't been discussed here, though the rules that are the basis for that psychology certainly are. For example, the cropping of a bird in flight with ample room for it to "fly into" in front of the bird is valid because there is almost a subconscious expectation of the viewer, regardless of his training as a photographer. The feeling that there is something wrong with the image often can not be described verbally by the average viewer, yet it can be recognized and avoided by the photographer who is aware of their importance. This is only my opinion, and please don't take it the wrong way! ~onlybill

[Nicki Gwynn Jones]

Interesting post Bill. Part of the reason that I enjoy photography so much is that it is so subjective - we all see something different in a picture and few of us will agree on every point of discussion if we are really honest. I enjoy that some pictures leave interpretation to the imagination and I have always been of the view that we can get far too hung up on technical details and stats at the expense of the emotion that a picure may evoke. As intelligent and creative individuals surely we are all striving to show our own unique view of the world, be it a straight nature shot or perhaps something a little more 'out of the box'.
Regards to all,
Nicki