Close-up Portrait of a Juvenile Frigatebird

[Muhammad Arif]

From a recent trip to the Galapagos with Artie. A juvenile Magnificent Frigatebird yawning.

Canon R5, 100-400 II + 1.4x at 450mm, 1/3200, f/8.0, ISO 800.

[Arthur Morris]

I love everything about it but cannot understand why you left the stick! Love that it is super-sharp on the eye.

with love, a

[Muhammad Arif]

I left the stick on purpose. I figured nobody is going to like the stick but I like the stick because 1) it shows part of the environment, 2) the stick works as a leading line bringing the viewer's eyes back towards the mouth of the bird which is the main focus of the imange, 3) it's narrow enough that it doesn't add clutter and not distracting to me and 4) just to be different :)

Thanks for your input, Artie.

[Joseph Przybyla]

Hi Muhammad, I read your comment. I like the image nice work on the bird but I agree with Artie that the stick detracts. Thank you for sharing.

[Gerald Kelberg]

Hi Muhammad,

I like very much the image of the Frigate Bird - the action, the view of its mouth, the sharp eye.

With respect to the stick, I think it is your image and if you want the stick in there - it is yours to choose.

If it was my image, I would do differently - but its not my image!

I appreciate your image and your thoughts.

Gerald

[Dorian Anderson]

Bird is lovely (pose, details, exposure etc), but I fervently agree that the stick needs to go. And sure, you can cheat and do it in post, but this is a situation where I would have thought about it camera and avoided it by stepping a bit to the left.

[Sidharth Kodikal]

Well exposed. If mine, I too would evict the twig.
I find the shadow on the far side of the face a bit unfortunate. Stepping a bit to the left, if at all possible might've been worth it.
Comp wise I find it a bit tight at the top.

Love the pose, and that it's sharp where it needs to be.

TFS

[Daniel Cadieux]

What a very cool image! I love it. But I do not love the stick. The mouth is so spectacular that we do not need that stick to lead our eyes to the mouth. Hoping to see more from your adventures out there!