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[Arthur Morris]

Sorry to have been absent so long: SW FLA President's Week IPT/NANPA/Post-NANPA Bosque IPT. I will be back in ILE late on Friday and look forward to doing some serious critiquing this weekend. (See the next few BAA Bulletins for the details of my two week marathon.)

This Ross's Goose was photographed at Bosque del Apache NWR with the Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens, the EOS 50D, and fill flash at -1 stop. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1 stop: 1/400 sec. at f/9. (9-point AI Servo AF.)

Don't be shy; all comments welcome. I am here to learn too.

[Randy Stout]

Artie:

Exposure looks right on. I like the aperture choice, bill and eye, which for me are the centers of attraction are both sharp, while the DOF falls off gracefully on back of head. Head position of course is great, and the tiny catchlight adds interest and life.

Were you tempted to do a little clean up work on the bill?

Randy

[Alfred Forns]

Impressive portrait and love the neck tilt !!! Razor sharp and the whites are sweet !!!! Big Congrats

[Doug Brown]

Perfect exposure, great eye contact, and a nice profile. Lookin' good!

[Doug Brown]

Were you tempted to do a little clean up work on the bill?

Not to speak for Artie, but this is Ross's Goose, not a Snow Goose. Their bills are supposed to look like that.

[Randy Stout]

Thanks Doug, my mistake. I just know that Artie likes a pretty bill when appropriate!

[c.w. moynihan]

Hi Artie,

This is a lovely image...the only thing I would change is to remove the flash catchlight and perhaps enhance/expand the ambient catchlight that already exists toward the top of the eye (1 o'clock position).

[Krijn Trimbos]

Hi Artie,
A very nice portrait, like the curve of the neck, the colors and sharpness very much. Great job!

[Arthur Morris]

Artie:Were you tempted to do a little clean up work on the bill? Randy

Thanks all for your kind comments.

Randy, All Ross's Geese have greenish wart-like growths at the base of the bill. I actually did clean up the bill a bit, removing lots of little white flecks.

[Axel Hildebrandt]

Cool pose and great exposure control, BG and details. I also like the composition.

[david cramer]

I bet you'll be happy to be home. The detail and color on the beak is very good, but the feather detail seems washed out. Was this a cloudy day?

It was a pleasure meeting you at NANPA. Thanks for the portfolio review, the suggestions you gave me were spot on and will be very helpful.

[phillane]

Artie as always you are a master craftsman and it is evident in this image. I personally would not remove the catch light in the eye, I would tone it down perhaps. I love the symmetry and lines of this portrait, it sort of reminds me of an Erte. Purely from an artistic standpoint would be curious to see what a vertical crop would look like as opposed to a horizontal.

[Ramon M. Casares]

Wonderfull ight, exposure control is superb and colors as well as BG are stunning! Love the tight comp. Congratulations and glad you´re back here!

[Arthur Morris]

Artie as always you are a master craftsman and it is evident in this image. I personally would not remove the catch light in the eye, I would tone it down perhaps. I love the symmetry and lines of this portrait, it sort of reminds me of an Erte. Purely from an artistic standpoint would be curious to see what a vertical crop would look like as opposed to a horizontal.

Thanks Phil and all for their kind words. Here is the VERT that Phil requested. It was created as a VERT.

[Axel Hildebrandt]

I like the second crop, too, although I prefer the first one.

[phillane]

Artie

Love this crop! They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder and this proves to be the case here. In my opinion, the Vert crop enhances the image in my opinion as it draws ones eye into the subject creating a more powerful impact. Guess you tell I was an art major huh? Maybe I'll see you again in Bosce some time, it has been a while .:D

Thanks Phil and all for their kind words. Here is the VERT that Phil requested. It was created as a VERT.

[Arthur Morris]

Guess you tell I was an art major huh? Maybe I'll see you again in Bosce some time, it has been a while .

Hi Phil, Am glad that you liked. I like both equally. I love having critiques done by art majors. I am proud of the fact that I have no training in art, ornithology, or writing and that the sum total of my photographic training was 8 two hour Tuesday night sessions in a course taught by Mmilton Heiberg for NYC Audubon :) :) :)

[Ian McHenry]

Hi Artie
When I saw this I said "Perfect" ( head angle,clarity of eye & bill) and clean white against background.
Then I looked further down and saw vertical.Wow.
Even better, apart from aforementioned vertical shows even more "essence" of this beautiful bird.
Cheers: Ian Mc