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Thread: African Darter

  1. #1
    Lifetime Member Stu Bowie's Avatar
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    Default African Darter

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    I was never keen on these type of images "cutting off limbs and wings" but I purposely shot this full frame to emphasize the head and neck. I realise being close, not everything would have fallen in the the DOF. This image may have changed my mind to shoot more of these type of images. Does this work? Taken in the Pilanesberg last weekend. The BG is water.

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    Last edited by Stu Bowie; 05-20-2010 at 11:47 AM.

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    It works for me big time, I actually like close portraits that
    show aspects and details of the birds that we cannot experience in the field.
    By the way, when it comes to truth in photography and capturing "as it is"
    I have hardly ever seen a successful image that captures nature exactly
    the way we experience it by naked eyes, the camera IMO adds and changes,
    and does not simply reproduce our experience of birds, nature or any other subject
    for that matter.
    Long story short, I like close-ups of birds like your image here.
    You've got a perfect HA for the pose IMO.
    The IQ is excellent and given the strong light this is really well captured.
    I would only move the bird more to the right, add more space on the left.
    I think there are some crop possibilities here,
    more tight, vertical with the head and neck only etc.

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    It certainly works for me; really nice light, the detail is wonderful and I like how the wings frame the neck and head (great HA, too).

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    I really enjoy this kind of photography as it shows great detail that you dont normally see. I have quite a few of these but never post them as its not everyones cup of tea...Nice one Stuart

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    Stuart, the comp definitely works well. No doubt about it. Like it a lot. But for me, the OOF near wing is not working. I am a big fan of shallow DOF but dont like when parts of bird in front of the in-focus head are OOF. Dont mind parts behind to be OOF that much. Lot of this is boils down to personal taste.

    superb details and exposure.

  6. #6
    Fabs Forns
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    Stu, composition works well for me, sometimes you have no choice but to place the eye dead center. I would try and take a sliver off the right like this:
    Not sure if it would be better though. Lovely light and detail.

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    Lifetime Member Stu Bowie's Avatar
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    Thank you all so much.

    Fabs, your comp does work better. After looking at your comp, I feel the darter's head in mine may be a tad too far to the left.

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    Hi Stuart,

    Great detail in the head and neck. I might be tempted to crop even tighter and remove the wings totally. Crop just above the LHS wing as we view it and to the left of the RHS wing.

    Cheers

    Austin

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    BPN Member Tony Whitehead's Avatar
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    I love these detailed portraits. Great light and the BG sets it off perfectly. Fabs has beaten me to it with the crop suggestion.
    Last edited by Tony Whitehead; 05-21-2010 at 03:02 AM. Reason: spp
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  10. #10
    Gal Shon
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    A wonderful image Stuart.
    Colors, sharpness and details,pose, beautiful light and BG makes it for me on this superb image.
    When I saw your OP Fabs Comp suggestion, is what I thought of.

  11. #11
    Ákos Lumnitzer
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    Looks like it's about full frame Stuart. I only wish for a little space to the left, but that's not the be all end all. WEll done, excellent feather detail and sharpness where it counts!

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    IOTY Winner 2009 Mark Dumbleton's Avatar
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    I like bold compositions like this! Really shows the details of the bird really well. Super stuff Stu!

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    loved the off centre approach of fabs, but great pic, nice HA and details and pose...

  14. #14
    Lifetime Member Stu Bowie's Avatar
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    Thank you all so very much for the kind words. Much appreciated.

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