A pair of Spoonies

[Christopher C.M. Cooke]

Two Spoonbills, captured at the Healsville Wetlands on Canon 30D, 300mm F4 IS + 1.4X Con., ISO-100, 1/400sec, F/8, Pattern Mettering, Shutter Priority, -0.3 step.

http://birdphotographers.net/forums/...1&d=1203495233

[Arthur Grosset]

I like the detail in the plumage which I always find tricky with such solid white. Maybe that's why the background appears a bit too dark as well as a bit busy. A wider aperture might have blurred the BG a bit. I find the second spoonbill a bit of a distraction but there's not much you can do about that.

[John Cooper]

Hi Chris, you have held back the whites here showing good detail, and the raised wings add impact. pity about the rear bird - if you had the patience you could clone the blighter out!!!

[Christopher C.M. Cooke]

Hi Chris, you have held back the whites here showing good detail, and the raised wings add impact. pity about the rear bird - if you had the patience you could clone the blighter out!!!

Sorry John, I know that the group here like "clean" images but I DON'T.

I love our Australian fauna as I find it and will be more than happy to cop any criticisms that I receive here.

Remember! these images are for MY pleasure and not to create false images that do not represent the reality of our wildlife!.

There were two birds and two birds there will be.

I Suspect that I will always have a less than "artistic" view but by God I enjoy being out there with these beautiful creatures and doubt that I can improve much on God's work.

[john crookes]

I am in agreement with Christopher

The world is not a clean pristine enviorment..

If you prefer that sort of piture that is fine But to impose that thats the way all photos should be is just plain wrong.

We never had the option while we were photographing with slide film and I agree that if it was there in the picture then it is fine to leave it there.

If by chance we photograph a nice clean object with no objectional clutter then that was a momentwe worked hard for in nature not in Photoshop

[John Cooper]

Sorry John, I know that the group here like "clean" images but I DON'T.

I love our Australian fauna as I find it and will be more than happy to cop any criticisms that I receive here.

Remember! these images are for MY pleasure and not to create false images that do not represent the reality of our wildlife!.

There were two birds and two birds there will be.

I Suspect that I will always have a less than "artistic" view but by God I enjoy being out there with these beautiful creatures and doubt that I can improve much on God's work.

I fully agree with you Chris - I've never removed or added another subject - nor do I intend to. Instead I am very selective in my composition to start with - As nature phootographers we strive to create good photographs - I will often bypass a subject simply because, IMO, its not suitable to make a pleasing image.