Looks as if the HAP (Head Angle Police) will need some help from the LAP (Light Angle Police). The head angle, the pose, and the framing here are all great, but by failing to point your shadow at the bird (perhaps impossible but none-the-less vital) in this image, the exposure and contrast problems are pretty much insurmountable. With most of the bird in shadow the near primaries are overexposed and the top of the head is blown out and totally detail-less.
Later and love, artie
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Adding to Artie's comments, I wish for a better head-wing separation. If the original is RAW you might be able to recover some of the overexposed highlights.
Thanks for all the abreviations artie that saves so much reading. Glad to know that there are needed improvments here. If I had joined this site when I first got the email, I would probably be in the #50 member range. The site seems to be weeding out pretty nicely from all the nit picks going on. Seems only the first 25 members get the good iimages here. I put this not so good image on to see what it would bring and it deserves every critique deserevedly. I would reather get a bad reading on one that deserves it than to have a good image nit picked to death. I am not a world class photographer and never will be but I try to hold my own and hope others can see something interesting in my images. If this is not what you are wanting to hear from a member, just give me a portion of my fee back and I will move on! Not overly bitter but just stating what is on my mind after thinking for a few days. Others I know have said that this site is overwhelmingly tough and has too many favorites. If everyone had to put every practice in to take a image there would not be any submitted. Head turn, light angle, pose, shadows, sticks, background, Room to walk, spaces for the legs to be etc is not even possible taking image in a burst rate! Does every bird need to be looking at the photographer to be good? Just some thoughts on a Super Tuesday!
Hi Bill, I am posting a copy of your post and my responses in the General Photography Discussion Forum as it covers some important points that are relevant to all members.
re:
BF: Thanks for all the abbreviations artie that saves so much reading.
AM: YAW.
BF: Glad to know that there are needed improvements here. If I had joined this site when I first got the email, I would probably be in the #50 member range. The site seems to be weeding out pretty nicely from all the nit picks going on.
AM: Please explain what you mean by "all the nit picks going on."
BF: Seems only the first 25 members get the good images here.
AM: I do believe that anyone with an open mind who looked around the Forums for more than 30 seconds would agree that that is a ludicrous statement. There are many great images already posted by folks who either have never joined who have joined in the past few days.
BF: I put this not so good image on to see what it would bring and it deserves every critique deservedly.
AM: Our position is that all images--the great ones, the good ones, the mediocre ones, and the really lousy ones--deserve honest critiques done gently.
BF: I would rather get a bad reading on one that deserves it than to have a good image nit picked to death.
AM: I think that I am beginning to see where you are coming from. While you might see a good image being "nit picked to death," (Don't get me wrong, I do not like either the word "nit" or "nit-picked") while others might see a good image that might have been improved either in the field or on the computer. And when folks are pointing out distracting or positive features, the things that they either like or do not like in an image, others take this as an opportunity to learn to make better images while call it nit-picking.
BF: I am not a world class photographer and never will be but I try to hold my own and hope others can see something interesting in my images.
AM: Correct me if I am wrong. In my critique of your image, I wrote, "The head angle, the pose, and the framing here are all great..." Are you saying that I did not see anything interesting in your image?
BF: If this is not what you are wanting to hear from a member, just give me a portion of my fee back and I will move on!
AM: We are always interested in feedback positive and negative. I am not at all sure of what you are upset about but if you are unhappy at all we shall gladly refund your entire fee. If you would like to know some of some forums where really bad pictures will get lots of "Great Shot" comments please e-mail me at birdsasart@att.net and I can direct you to a few. If you want to learn to be a better photographer you might just want to stay here, open your heart and mind, and learn.
BF: Not overly bitter
AM: I would have to disagree there. At the beginning of every IPT I say to the group, "When folks show up bitter and unhappy they almost always go home bitter and unhappy."
BF ... but just stating what is on my mind after thinking for a few days.
AM: As I said, we enjoy having our members share their thoughts.
BF: Others I know have said that this site is overwhelmingly tough and has too many favorites.
AM: Favorite images or favored photographers? If the latter please do not include me in that group. I put up one of my favorite images from this week the other day and it got pretty well slammed. One guy stated clearly four times that he did not like it, and he did not bother to say a single nice thing about it.
BF: If everyone had to put every practice in to take a image there would not be any submitted.
AM: Please explain the sentence above as it does not make any sense to me. Thanks.
BF: Head turn, light angle, pose, shadows, sticks, background, Room to walk, spaces for the legs to be etc is not even possible taking image in a burst rate!
AM if you are trying to say that most images have flaws, I agree with you. When folks suggest that images might be better off with this or without that, they are trying to help others improve, to help them make better images in the future. Is it difficult to make a perfect image? Yes. I am still not sure that I have any. Is it difficult to make a great image? Yes. I have a few of those. And a great deal of my learning has occurred by listening to the honest comments of others.
BF: Does every bird need to be looking at the photographer to be good?
AM: Most times a pleasing head angle is a big plus, but there are surely exceptions.
BF: Just some thoughts on a Super Tuesday.
AM: Just some responses from a happy Giants fan.
later and love and thanks for sharing your thoughts, artie
Last edited by Arthur Morris; 02-05-2008 at 05:47 PM.
BIRDS AS ART Blog: great info and lessons, lots of images with our legendary BAA educational Captions; we will not sell you junk. 30+ years of long lens experience/e-mail with gear questions.
BIRDS AS ART Online Store: we will not sell you junk. 35 years of long lens experience. Please e-mail with gear questions.
Check out the new SONY e-Guide and videos that I did with Patrick Sparkman here. Ten percent discount for BPN members,
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