Double-banded Plover (New Zealand)

[Dorian Anderson]

This tiny little guy is a juvenile Double-banded Plover I photographer in the Mackenzie Basin of NZ's South Island during my recent trip.

In an attempt to do something different/artistic with this rather drab bird, I opened up to f/4 and put the subject in the corner to create
this exaggerated bokeh. I'm a huge fan of small-in-frame-type shots, but they're really hard to execute well, especially at home in coastal CA
where keeping people/cars/building/roads/poles/powerlines out of wide shots feels impossible. I really envy photographers who are creative
enough to feature negative space, and I am consciously trying to get better at it. Curious what people think about this one.

Canon 600mm f/4 IS II on EOS 1DX Mark II
1/4000 at f/4, ISO 400, hand while on stomach in mud
Processed in LR CC. Did remove a few particularly distracting specular highlights

Cheers!

[annmpacheco]

Sweet juvie Dorian, I like your composition, lil bird, big "pond"... Looks crisp, against a super colorful FG and BG, I'd suggest skimming away about 50% of the ground, seems to separate the plover more ... Really enjoying your keeps form your trip, keep em coming!

[Arthur Morris]

I love it, especially the many shades of mustard in the background. Is this species on the Falklands???

with love, artie

[Isaac Grant]

I love the colors and the pose, the background is great. I am not crazy about the composition but not sure why and I get that that is not helpful. I think small in the frame works best if somehow it tells a story. Like the bird is looking out over the ocean, or a raptor surveying a field or something like that. Or a small songbird singing on a distant perch. This one just kind of feels a bit in between to me.

[dankearl]

This is really sweet!, Dorian... perfect small in the frame shot for me.
I like the bird placement, I could see a bit off the top.

[Paul Burdett]

Hi Dorian. I really like the bird/pose and BK colours. However, I find the bluish patch on the left mid section somewhat distracting. Also the lower mustard bottom foreground strip becomes narrower on the left which doesn't work for me. So...I'd crop it just to the right of the blue patch where that dip occurs.

[greg cowle]

Big fan of small-in-the-frame, but agree it is often very difficult. All the wildlife images I put on my walls are SITF, I think they add a lot of interest for an enlargement. Whether it is showing the habitat, or using the aperture to create an 'abstract' background, they are great when nailed, I think you got this one.

[Chris van Rooyen]

Oooh, this really rocks for me! The angle is spectacular, and the light equally so. Composition perfect as well. Well done:cheers:

[John Mack]

Works well with the bird tucked way back in the frame. Great background.

[Ian McHenry]

Beautiful image Dorian.
Like the image from down low.
Artie: This bird is endemic to New Zealand.
Very comprehensive look @ birds of the world in Oiseaux- birds .com: http://www.oiseaux-birds.com/card-double-banded-plover.html
Cheers : Ian Mc

[Dorian Anderson]

Beautiful image Dorian.
Like the image from down low.
Artie: This bird is endemic to New Zealand.
Very comprehensive look @ birds of the world in Oiseaux- birds .com: http://www.oiseaux-birds.com/card-double-banded-plover.html
Cheers : Ian Mc

Thanks Ian! This species is also all over Eastern Australia, so I don't think it's an endemic. If the NZ birds constitute a subspecies, then those would be endemic.