Sandhill Crane in Field

[LinzRiverBalmer]

Well I promised myself I wasn't going to post another picture until my computer was fixed and back so I had decent editing tools.

NOTE... COMPUTER IS DEAD, TOOLS VERY LIMITED ON IPAD ONLY.

This has put me under a big constraint as a contest deadline is coming up next week and I won't have a computer before then. I'm doing what I can and then will go to a friends with Lightroom to submit entries.

so I can't give you full exif data, iPad only gives partials.

i have only done limited edits.

i know the bottom needs some OOF correction.

so any input is appreciated but please keep in mind I know this is rough edit and that I have limited tools to fix.

i love this shot for its artsy quality, and its untouched in crop, this is full frame.

colors are fairly accurate, did a saturation correction, smart sharp.

exif I have....
sony cybershot dsc hx 100/v
Exposure 1/320
ISO 100
no flash, hand held.
infinity landscape mode

fairly far away from subject if I had to guess 50 yards, but im bad at distance, and field behind subject is another good football field in total, not sure how much is shown in pic.

edited... To say my uploaded picture is a little softer than saved file, not sure why.

[Shawn Zierman]

I enjoy the spacious composition and excellent sense of habitat. I enjoy the contrasting tones between the two dominant grass forms, and proportionally, you have composed them well. I don't care for the vignette. I'd like to see at least a few fine details on the bird, but understand that at this working distance and light angle, that was not going to happen. I think the crane is just the slightest bit too far forward in the frame....totally centering the head makes visual sense to me here.

[LinzRiverBalmer]

Thank you for the reply and critique Shawn, much appreciated.

when you say to center the crane head.... As in put the head directly into the very bullseye center of the whole image??

i don't like the vignette either, need my computer for decent blurring tools.

many thanks

[Shawn Zierman]

This is the subtle change that I referred to in regards to composition...

[LinzRiverBalmer]

Thank you for the repost, got it, love it.

[Sandy Witvoet]

Really like the concept here... Shawn's repost with slight adjustment is excellent.... looks like a cool "painting", but would have enjoyed a bit more detail on the bird.... probably pretty tough to do in landscape mode.... Colors are lovely!

[Diane Miller]

Those grasses are lovely -- very artistic. Did you by any chance shoot a horizontal? I can see them being the subject with the bird as the grace note.

[LinzRiverBalmer]

Thanks to all on the comments, ended up doing some re work on the grass around the bird which let the bird stand out a bit more with more detail, and a comp more comparable to the one Shawn posted.

Diane, I did get some horizontal shots but the grasses aren't quite as prominent, I will edit one and post it.