Results 1 to 19 of 19

Thread: Midway #4/Which Do You Like Better and Why?

  1. #1
    Publisher Arthur Morris's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Indian Lake Estates, FL
    Posts
    32,557
    Threads
    1,438
    Thank You Posts

    Default Midway #4/Which Do You Like Better and Why?

    Attached Images Attached Images
     
    The weather on Midway has been ever-changing. The blurred image in Pane 1 here was created at 7:09 am today--we are six hours behind Florida. There were heavy clouds with a threat of rain. By 7:20, the squall hit. Everyone in the group except Paul Mckenzie, a killer-good photographer from Hong Kong and me ran for cover. In five minutes, the rain stopped and the skies began to brighten. Story continued below :)

    This image was created with the handheld Canon 400mm f/4IS DO lens and the EOS-1D MIV. ISO 500. Evaluative metering +2/3 stop off the green vegetation: 1/30 sec. at f/5 in Manual Mode.

    The posted image represents a healthy crop from our right and from below.

    Don't be shy: feel free to comment on the merits of this image alone or two compare it with the image in Pane 2:)
    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,

    E-mail me at samandmayasgrandpa@att.net.










  2. #2
    Publisher Arthur Morris's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Indian Lake Estates, FL
    Posts
    32,557
    Threads
    1,438
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Attached Images Attached Images
     
    This Laysan Albatross image was created with the same gear at 7:37 am this morning after the brief but soaking downpour :) ISO 640. Evalaluative metering +1 1/3 stops off the white sand in pretty much full early morning sun: 1/1600 sec. at f/4. This was cropped top, bottom, and sides to a pano.

    Please feel free to comment on the merits of this image alone or to compare it with the image in Pane 1. All comments are of course welcome.
    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,

    E-mail me at samandmayasgrandpa@att.net.










  3. #3
    Lifetime Member Markus Jais's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    Bavaria (Germany)
    Posts
    1,677
    Threads
    82
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    It pays to stay when most other people will stop shooting!

    Both are great shots. In the 2nd, I find the BG slightly distracting but on the other side, this also shows that typical habitat of the species. The bird flying directly at the camera looks fantastic.

    The first one is fantastic. I like the sand in the air behind the bird. Great motion. I like the blurred feet and the angle of the bird towards the camera.

    I like both images but if I had to choose, I would prefer the 1st one.

    Your images of this place are great. I really wish I was there instead of freezing my *** off here in cold Bavaria (where the winter just returned!)

    Markus

  4. #4
    Publisher Arthur Morris's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Indian Lake Estates, FL
    Posts
    32,557
    Threads
    1,438
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Markus Jais View Post
    Your images of this place are great. I really wish I was there instead of freezing my *** off here in cold Bavaria (where the winter just returned!) Markus
    Thanks Markus. This place really is astounding as far as photo-ops. You will need to join us for a week or two next year!
    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,

    E-mail me at samandmayasgrandpa@att.net.










  5. #5
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    North Carolina
    Posts
    1,439
    Threads
    47
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    I find both images appealing. However, if I have to choose one image, it is frame number one due to the projection of motion. The head is sharp enough while the rest really provides a sense of movement. I especially enjoy the streaks of sand being kicked up.

  6. #6
    Phil Battley
    Guest

    Default

    Pane 1 for me. I like the better view of the dark eye-shading, and the action (including flying sand?) makes it really interesting. Pane 2 would be better if it were just the bird. But I would love to have taken either...

    Phil

  7. #7
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Haverhill, Massachusetts
    Posts
    1,647
    Threads
    313
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    #1 for me Artie.

    It is different from a typical image creation, I like the blur, sharp head and the sand flying up from behind it. It does a great job of imparting motion of both the subject and the sand and isn't a mundane head on flight shot (relatively speaking :)

  8. #8
    Avian Moderator Randy Stout's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    SW Michigan
    Posts
    14,127
    Threads
    821
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Artie:

    #1 for sure. It is special/unique. Almost makes me think of a cartoon (which is good)

    #2 - is nice, but not special.

    Randy

  9. #9
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    Perth Western Australia
    Posts
    2,546
    Threads
    171
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Hi Artie

    I'm a great fan of yours but I dont like either that much...sorry!

    Pane #1 does a lovely job of implying motion, but thats it for me...On the down side it remind me of the blurry images I have been taking with my 10D except that the head would be out of focus in my images also.

    Pane#2 is a fine study of the wing structure and profile of the bird in a plane that is less common (head on) and would be my pick of the two. On the down side there is a lot of bird you dont see from this direction and so I find it not as appealing.


    DON

  10. #10
    BPN Viewer
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Albuquerque, NM
    Posts
    438
    Threads
    55
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    For me it is image #1. The sense of motion with the grains of sand flying make this more appealing than the second.

  11. #11
    Publisher Arthur Morris's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Indian Lake Estates, FL
    Posts
    32,557
    Threads
    1,438
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Don Railton View Post
    Hi Artie I'm a great fan of yours but I dont like either that much...sorry! DON
    Thanks Don for sharing your honest thoughts. I love the image in Pane #1; it is the one that I set out to create. And I think that the one in Pane #2 is pretty good also but have to admit that the TIFF is a lot more impressive than the JPEG.
    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,

    E-mail me at samandmayasgrandpa@att.net.










  12. #12
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Florida
    Posts
    3,911
    Threads
    459
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Arite,

    Image #1 for me. I like the motion and sharp head. Gives a very good feel for how these guys take off.

  13. #13
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Location
    Newton MA, USA
    Posts
    1,956
    Threads
    144
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    #1 is better, great motion captured with the head perfectly sharp.

    #2 the bird and pose is excellent but the BG is not uniform enough to make it better than 1.
    If the BG was uniform I would say #2 is better.

    Cheers,

  14. #14
    BPN Member Paul Lagasi's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    Bells Corners, Ontario, Canada
    Posts
    5,316
    Threads
    642
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    I wrote this without reading what others have written:
    I like #1 The sand kicking up, the blur really gives it motion..almost takes you to that split second.

    For me at least the 2nd image is the harder of the two, to get...bird coming straight at you and you nailed it..everything is in focus on the bird..a little CCR rotation and a crop. It becomes a very nice image.

    But I'd probably still I pick #1 as the one I like better.

  15. #15
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Long Island, New York
    Posts
    6,275
    Threads
    574
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    That's like comparing apples and oranges. Both are interesting and have their own merit. I compliment you on making your vision happen in the Pane 1 image, and on your technique on Pane 2...not easy! If I was going to purchase one to hang on my walls, it would be #1.

    PS- I still want to see some of those chicks that were in the holes near the barracks. :)

  16. #16
    BPN Viewer
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Melbourne, Australia
    Posts
    413
    Threads
    95
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Hey Artie,

    this place is truely a bird photographer's dream. Where can one book a tour with you to that place?

    About the images. I don't really like both, because of the quite dominant BKGRs. The idea of image 1 is awesome and I like how the sand is flying behind the bird. However, my eyes get always caught by the green BKGRs. Especially, since the bird is cut in half by it.
    Both images with more appealing BKGRs would be killer. I am sure image 2 looks way better in a bigger size. That's the downside of web images....
    I assume, BKGR "problem" is coming up, because you are always so close to the birds on such a small island?

  17. #17
    BPN Viewer
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    Jamesville, NY
    Posts
    151
    Threads
    11
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    I love both images. They each capture something different. Image 1 shows motion with wet wings. Image 2 is VERY unique in that how many times can we see an albatross coming straight at us with those massive wings. I can't critique the master; the background in image 2 while may not appeal to some is what existed at the time of capture. It is what it is and is part of the profile of these magnificent birds. We don't see alot of the bird in image 2 because thats how these birds are designed. In Dr. Safina's book he describes in detail the skeleton of the albatross and how its so different than other birds.

  18. #18
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    Guelph, Ontario, Canada
    Posts
    8,509
    Threads
    827
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Artie,
    Number one is far more appealing to me.
    It is a unique and artistic presentation, almost magical.
    Number two is just a good incoming flight shot.

  19. #19
    BPN Viewer
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    Taunton MA
    Posts
    1,247
    Threads
    175
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    If I had to vote I would choose #1 but they thing that bothers me is the sharp interface between the sand and the greenery looks too fake

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Web Analytics