GBH with background in focus (nature shot?)

[Andrew Harrell]

I got this picture last week, and I personally like it a lot, but it does not work as a formal "portrait with dreamy background" kind of pic. For me, it's simply a picture of a Great Blue Heron just as you might come across one in nature. So in this case, the background is very much in focus, but for some reason I like it.

Curious if others feel the same way,or have a different reaction.

Pic:




Sony a77ii, Tamron 150-600, 300mm, f7.1, 1/2000sec, ISO 1600

In LR cc: no crop, Increased Exposure slightly, Dropped Highlights and Shadows, bumped up Blacks and a touch of Clarity.


Appreciate your C&C on the photo itself and also your thoughts on this kind of as-I-found-it, "nature" photo .....



AP

[Warren Spreng]

I like it Andrew, to me the trees are close enough to be part of the overall image. I would probably apply a slight blur to the OOF BG behind the trees but the shadow in the grass in front of the bird with the light then behind it gives my eye a natural path to follow from the bottom to the top, so I like the composition.

[Diane Miller]

I love it! The BG is very pleasing -- something Robert Bateman might use in a painting. It's a lovely portrait of the bird in a natural (and pretty) setting. Not every image has to have an OOF BG. They tend to be favored because it is difficult to get an in-focus BG that complements the subject without competing, but you accomplished that here. The fact that it gets darker at the bottom, appearing to be naturally, gives a good base to the image.

I'm confused and curious about the slider moves you did. Can you re-stare them in terms of moving the sliders right or left?

[Adhika Lie]

I LOVE this shot. Very environmental and the light works really well to shine on the face as well. Agreed with Diane on the sliders movement. Very nice shot, AP!

[Glennie Passier]

When I saw the thumbnail AP I thought how "painterly". I couldn't wait to open it up. The post did not disappoint. Well done! I like the FG samphire and the darkness on the bottom gives the frame a base or anchor. I don't mid the mangrove, but like Warren, may be tempted to blur the very BG down a bit. I might also consider a tiny slice of the RHS and the top.

Great stuff!

[Jim Keener]

For me, the light makes this photograph. As Diane wrote, the lack of separation achieved with sharp versus blur, is more than compensated for by light and dark. BTW, I also thought of a painting when I first saw your photograph. I think the composition is spot on. Well framed in camera. I love photographing herons. They can pose for hours. They're big and colorful and easy to find. An avian photographer's true friend. This one treated you well. TFS.

[Sandy Witvoet]

Love it! Colors are spot on! Heron looks great here.... works as an environmental for me! excellent, Andrew.

[Hazel Grant]

Agree with above statements. Had the background been all tree leaves as at the top, for example, it would have been too busy, I think. As it is, you have layers of texture. The lightness of the bird stands out with this. Perhaps we get into the blurred background as necessary frame of mind too easily and miss seeing the value of settings like this. well done

[Stuart Philpott]

Andrew,I'm a very simple guy that also paints. I break images taken with a camera into two senarios ,these are derivitives of me spodging about with paint: studies= a beasie featuring little BG maybe some oof blurry stuff...a picture= a beastie in it's surroundings .
This is a picture by my above take.

Andrew,i'm a beginner, learning all this but maybe with some preconceived ideas from da paint. I think it is dangerous for us learners to be in anyway hampered by preconceptions: for me you shouldn't worry about whether your BG is in or out of focus,only whether you like it . It would be a horrible world if the whole of the photographic community only produced what I call a study Andrew....ie a formal portrait with a dreamy BG. Sure I love those pics and some of what I post may fall into that category,but be YOU Andrew show us your version of our world you love.

Jeepers that was a bit heavy sorry mate I love your heron,I love "as I (YOU) found it", without that where would something new come from??


Cracking Andrew, we can all always be better,we can all look for inspiration from our learned friends here,but you make the pics you make and essentially my friend that is what draws me,the picture that you make, that I wouldn't make and would see differently.
There is a certain lack of critique in the conventional sense here Andrew , I know the guys have your back with more than I could ever give. But there is also my steadfast mantra at play,we are all best at being us...our own individual self. As ungainly as I am as a photographer whom wishes so much to be better I only want to be me. Being you is your greatest asset Andrew
no one else can be that guy!!

take care cheers for posting I hope you get what is so poorly worded here,it's been a fight to get it out frankly

Stu