Clay-colored Sparrow in habitat.

[Daniel Cadieux]

I liked the grassy habitat, and I like everything curling towards the same direction. It never did look the other way for the very few precious moments it was on this perch...and I was composed in-camera in those hopes. Now, convention says I should leave more room in front of the sparrow, but I like the "unconventional" comp this gave me and decided to keep it. What do you think?

Canon 7D + 100-400L @400mm, aperture priority, evaluative metering, 1/500s., f/6.3, ISO 800, no EC, natural light, handheld, almost FF (slight crop left and above).

[Grace Scalzo]

Personally, with even the grass blowing in the direction that he's looking, I'd go with a vertical here. Not sure that the empty space on the left is adding anything. That said, it's a sweet bird with a nice habitat elements.

[Randy Stout]

Daniel:

An interesting compositional exercise. The curving of the grasses, perch and bird in the same direction does help, almost gives the sense of "everything" looking in the same direction.

I do think it could easily go as a vertical with the bird on the left side, but it is pleasing as is.

Nice BG, colors, exposure.

cheers

Randy

[arash_hazeghi]

nice pose and a good BG, I would like to see this 1024 pixels wide.

[Gary Esman]

Hi Daniel, I like it as is. The curve of the perch and the grasses leaning to the right naturally bring my eye to the Sparrow. The background lends itself to the open field. Very nicely done and a fresh perspective. The sharpness and awesome background goes without saying. Great job! TFS

Gary.

[Chad Caswell]

Good perch (not great) great bkg? yes! I like the crop as is, would like to see the vert crop as well though.

[Clemens Vanderwerf]

Daniel,

I like the composition as is, and do not mind the "empty" space. The green gives a very peaceful experience and the curved grass is nicely spread out across the image.
The only minus for me would be the top part of the stick leaving the frame.
Other than that very nice image.

[Harshad Barve]

Daniel
I liked this very much as posted ,
TFS

[Stu Bowie]

Dan, by creating a vertical, you would lose all the blowing grasses on the LHS, but you have the same on the right of the sparrow too. I would go vertical, and you wouldnt lose any impact of the BG.

[Dumay de Boulle]

I can see what I think you are trying to create with the direction the grass is blowing and the subject is looking...Hence the empty space on the left, my thought anyway... Great BG and environment...Interesting to see vertical to see if it loses any impact!

[Chris Martinez]

I wish you got what you were hoping and that lovely little sparrow was looking to the left of the frame :w3
The setting is beautiful though.....

[noelle zaleski]

Daniel,

I am a big fan of leaving the environment in the shot. To me the grasses in your image make the image much nicer.

I do wish the perch did not go all the way to the top of the image. This may give the viewer the impression that the bird is also blowing in the wind along with the grasses.

Cute one!!

[Ofer Levy]

A pleasing image. Light wasn't great though.

[Doug Brown]

Works as presented for me. I don't mind that the bird isn't looking to the left part of the frame. The sense of habitat is really nice.

[Arno Ellmer]

This unconventional comp works well for me.I love the inclusion of all the habitat.
Great shot and well presented,Daniel!

[Diego Torrentes]

Hi Daniel. I like the image. The soft green background and the grass at the foreground looks great. Is there to much room around the bird? To me it depends upon what you want to show. For I portrait of the bird I think vertical composition would work better, but I you're trying to show the habitat (as you told us) the landscape format is the winner. By the way, Nice bird, with good plumage details and I love the direct look.

[Arthur Morris]

I am fine with the image design and love the head angle and all the curving grasses. I would lose the faint light whitish oval near the center--it looks like an o-of seed head.

[Daniel Cadieux]

Thanks everyone!

For Arash, a 1024 pixels wide version: