Sleeping Cygnet

[Graeme Sheppard]

I captured this shot half a year ago but overlooked it completely until recently because this was of a captive bird and all my other photos were of exciting sunbirds and sibias and the like. This probably turned out to be my best photo from Doi Inthanon that trip, but your critique is most welcome as I try to improve.

Made with Canon 450D, 400mm f5.6 at 1/200s, f7.1, ISO 200.
4272 x 2848 cropped to 1427 x 880, so quite a lot.

http://aportraitofnature.com/photo-uploads/Swan.jpg
By the way, it wasn't really asleep, but it certainly looks that way in the photo. Full disclosure and all that :)

[Arthur Morris]

Whites look well over-exposed. Harsh, off-angled light will do that to you. Was there any way to point your shadow at the subject? I do like the water.

[Tony Whitehead]

Water looks lovely but very noisy. Maybe a big crop with lots of sharpening? Very peaceful looking pose.

[denise ippolito]

I agree w/ Artie and Tony's comments. I think the pose and the sweetness of the cygnet are great.

[Graeme Sheppard]

Thanks for the feedback.
The angle was kind of fixed by the pose since moving round would have affected the head angle. That's retrospective thinking, I admit - I still get too excited in the field sometimes to think about all the advice I've been given.

Here's a version that I have applied a mask to and darkened the edges - there's a fair bit of detail there. I hadn't thought of doing this to the image before and it certainly improves it for the bird, so thanks for the comments.

http://aportraitofnature.com/photo-uploads/Swan%20selective%20darken.jpg

For this particular image, I think I prefer the blown-out style, so maybe it should be in the OOTB forum.

After adjusting this I went and looked at the sharpening and it was high, but this works well for the feathers in this case. One day I may try masking the bird to do selective sharpening.

Thanks a lot.
GS

[denise ippolito]

It does look better.

[Graeme Sheppard]

Yes it does, definitely. Coming it back to it at a later time I can really see it now.
Thanks everyone for your comments, I am learning :)