When is too small in frame?

[Marc Mol]

Early morning, and the Malachite Kingfisher is right @ home amongst the papyrus on the Chobe R.- Botswana Sept '09
D3 500VR 1/500s ISO200@f/4 from a small boat. Vignette blur using Color Efix Pro3. (30% crop)
I was right on his comfort/flight zone here.

I often ask this question when you have a bird such as this Malachite Kingfisher which is a very small and flighty species and getting close without a hide is out of the question, especially when one leaves his 1.4&1.7tc's back in camp.:(
Was trying to convey this KF environment here with this image and was wondering what other members think as too whether this image works or not?
Just when is a bird too small in the frame?

Cheers
Marc

[Lance Peters]

Hi Marc - Generally speaking with a small bird lower and towards one of the corners tends to work well in some circumstances.
Bird is tack sharp - good HA and exposure looks good - Dont know if I like the Vignette/BLUR - Maybe a tad too much - lets see what others say.
Wonder if a horizontal might not have been a option.
Love kingfishers :)

[Ian McHenry]

Hi Marc
Good work for detail and profile.
I like the position of the Kingfisher in the cropped image and to me if you can get this kind of result then that's fine.
Would be interested to see the BG without the vignetting.
Cheers: Ian Mc

[Dave Leroy]

I certainly don't mind the size of the bird in the frame.

The bird is very sharp and colourful and catches the eye right away. Vignetting also helps although I agree it would be interesting to see one without.

I think placing the bird on upper or lower right third points would make stronger image and like the idea of trying a horizontal as well.

A very nice environmental shot and well done.

[pat lillich]

love this - the effect emphasizes how small he is, while he still shows up beautifully.

[Julie Kenward]

Marc, I feel with such a beautiful BG as this one the size of the bird is relative to how small he can be and still remain the focal point of the image. Here, I think he can carry the entire photo but the placement of the bird is too low in the frame IMO. I recropped your OP and put the bird right at the ROT's mark both horizontally and vertically. See what you think...

I also think you could get away with a strong horizontal crop here as well because of those OOF branches that sweep sideways across the frame. Either composition will work in this case!

[Deborah Harrison]

My favorite bird - few people realise how tiny it is. I think you need to crop it somewhat from the original as Julie has demonstrated, it still gives a feeling of size and environment. Nice sharp image, the colors really pop and quite a challenge taken from a boat!

[Desmond Chan]

Just when is a bird too small in the frame?

It depends on what you want to show, IMO. If you want a pure portrait of the bird, then people would expect to see it occupying a large part of the image space. If you want an environmental portrait of the bird, then the bird itself can be smaller.

What I find interesting is that many a time, many people, when they see a photo with a bird in it, they see it as a portrait shot of a bird and wonder why it is so small in the frame. Well, perhaps they have the wrong point of view, a fixated mind-set, but, at the same time, perhaps it is that there's something that can be done to the image so that it can clearly shows the viewers that it is not a shot of the bird for applying for its flying license but a shot of a bird in its beautiful habitat ;):D:p

[Tom Redd]

Marc, I like this question, I wish more people would weigh in. I think either vertical or horizontal crop would work on this shot, personally, I would prefer the horizontal crop. The size of the green foliage gives you an idea of how big (or small in this case) the bird is so I think you have room in this photo to crop tighter if you like and still recognize how small he is.

I like to see shots in which the subject is not the majority of the frame so that we are able to get a feel for the natural environment. Desmond stated this well.

[Paul Taylor]

In answer to the question, my view would be at least one step beyond this, which I find fine as the bird is perfectly rendered. Just a question of composing the bird and all the other elements of the picture - as with people, larger animals or whatever. Desmond's 'flying license" comment is very funny - I will remember that one.

PS: Not a bird photographer of any note - but I like and appreciate the pictures and like this question.