GBH Portrait 2

[Amy DeStefanis]

Ok - The head angle police can't get me for this one (can they??? :confused:).... But the Background police will probably find me for sure.

I sacrificed the lower legs so that I could exclude as much of the background as possible, and still have a portrait.

ISO 800
70-300 @185mm
1/160 @ f/5.3

Amy D.

[Gus Cobos]

Hi Amy,
I much prefer a busy background than cutting the legs off...:eek: I can even forgive you for the head angle, which by the way, needs a little bit of CW rotation...;) But please, not the legs...OOOUCH...:eek: Looking forward to your next one...:cool:

[Oscar Zangroniz]

Hey Amy, is just a matter of taste, I can not stand a busy background so the legs don't bother me all that much.
I like your composition and details on the bird.
Regards,

[Alfred Forns]

Well Amy ...... I have to go for the gusto and say I don't like the legs cut off or the busy bg !!! :D

Actually leg wise if you do have to cut them you did at the right place, at the joint. It is an odd crop but a valid one Bg wise the light branch running to the bill sort of kills the image. You can get away with the darker stuff but anything light will be prominent and attention grabbing !!!

[Desmond Chan]

I prefer no background and long legs...er....never mind :o

I personally don't find the background too busy; I can still see the heron big and clear. Would prefer to see the legs though...as I said above :D

[Lance Peters]

Hi Amy - agree - would rather see the legs with a busy BG - than crippled LOL :)

Agree with AL on the light sections - tends to be the first thing you focus on.

Im sure you will get more time with this bird :)

[Nicki Gwynn Jones]

Hi Amy,
I'm with Al on this one - there's just no pleasing some people, is there!!!

[Julie Kenward]

Amy, something you might try here...the BG is busy but it has a nice overall pattern to it. I'd clone the whole thing to match - eliminating the lower branch and the junk on the LRC and just making it all the green leafy BG. I think that would be way more pleasing to look at. I'd also change the contrast so it is lighter than the bird itself so the BG doesn't compete with the main subject quite so much.

And OUCH on the legs!!!

[Harold Davis]

i have to side with al on this one. i want it all!!! bird does look good though. just a little hot spot on his head. soft light being the key there.