The Culvert

[WIlliam Maroldo]

Sony A700~Sony70-400G@300mm~ISO400~F7~1/1250sec~manual exposure~Houston, Texas
There is a culvert in Houston that connects a flood control reservoir with Brays Bayou. Most of the time I try to keep the man-made structures out of the image. Not here. Actually a composite: focused on the snowy, took the picture, then focused on the opposing entrance to the culvert. Combined in PS.
Comments and critique welcomed. regards~Bill

[Dan Brown]

This is very cool Bill! Way to think in the field! There is something about the water surface planes however? I seem to want the rear image to be lowered in the frame so that the water surfaces are closer to the same plane? Does that make sense? I like this though:)

[WIlliam Maroldo]

Dan: Actually the position of the rear entrance image was determined by placing it exactly where the blurred version was in the snowy image. Maybe the pipe is at an angle? I might add that the reservoir is at the far side of the culvert and I was on the other side of the bayou. It would be pretty easy to lower the reservoir side element. regards~Bill Oh, it just occurred to me, the culvert is over 100ft in length, and that may have something to do with it.

[Dan Brown]

Good show Bill! Now it makes more sense to my small brain!

[Arthur Morris]

Bill, This is way cool with creative thinking. I love the whole idea and the splash. Even though this is how it was set up physically I think that lowering the far end would make it look more "natural" (if you would...)

Here is my main point: as good as this is, it would have been way better had you included the entire circular opening at the far end of the pipe.... (If an object is worth including in the frame, include all of it with at least a small border. I would think that you could go back, create an image of the top of the far end of the pipe, and merge it into this image. For perfection, you could either lose the weeds there or get down in the water and clean all that crap away and them make more images.

I love seeing completely new images born out of great creativity. Also, great job with the EXP, great head angle, and great fish.

[Doug Brown]

Excellent work Bill! The Egret in the FG looks great with a little fish in its bill and I like the splashing water beneath the bird. The inclusion of the man-made elements works quite well, and I'm not usually a fan of them. I would like to see the complete opening of the far end of the pipe. With your permission, I'd like to move this thread to OOTB.

[Arthur Morris]

Doug, Feel free to copy (not move) this to OOTB. Thanks.

[Stu Bowie]

Well thoughtout Bill. Perfect placement of the egret against the darkened inside of the pipe, and his catch a bonus too. Another vote to have seen the entire inlet on the far side.

[WIlliam Maroldo]

I'm glad you guys liked the image! I agree with the suggestions made. Indeed, it would be pretty easy to re-create a complete opening for the far pipe opening, and move it downward. I'll do it later. We have been cursed with cloudless sunny days for a while now(And 100 degrees temp), but I see clouds out there now and I am out of here!
regards~Bill
Got back. Yes, Artie, it would be pretty easy to physically remove the grass of the other side, go back to the other side and shoot just the opening. Pretty likely there would be a bird feeding there too is short order. Great idea! Bill