A critique of my critique
Hi Judy
I was looking at my post in reference to your image again, and my advice was kind of like a back seat driver, and hindsight is 20-20. I am no expert on too much that is displayed or talked about on BPN. I finally thought there was something I could contribute from a more knowledgable position. Mainly because I have been behind the camera taking photographs of the same birds as you have (the terns) and observed their behaviors many times, and not only the Royal Terns as you have here, but Forsters, Least and Sandwich terns. I realize, now that you've explained the circumstances, the rope, the other birds in the way, etc., that you were looking at the situation exactly as I would have. As far as the depth of field. I was just talking off the top of my head, I don't know what I what I was thinking. Honestly, given the same situation I would be trying to get the birds in focus and a blurred out background would the least of my concerns. As far as a shell being in the scene, again I would be more concerned with getting the birds in focus, having correct exposure, and framing properly. What I forget when I'm looking at a still photo, is that these birds are in highly unpredictable motion. However, when I photograph birds that move more slowly, like the gallinules, the spoonbills, ibis, etc. I have more time to fnotice stuff in the scene that I would need to remove later by post-processing, and try to move my viewpoint if possible to shoot around it. Oh, yeah. Great photograph!