Woody Pair

[Cody Covey]

Still unsure if the hen takes away from this image or not. What do you guys think?



Camera Maker: Canon
Camera Model: Canon EOS 40D
Lens: EF75-300mm f/4-5.6
Image Date: 2011-03-05 124:08 -0800
Focal Length: 190.0mm
Aperture: f/5.6
Exposure Time: 0.0010 s (1/1000)
ISO equiv: 250
Exposure Bias: none
Metering Mode: Matrix
Exposure: aperture priority (semi-auto)
White Balance: Auto
Flash Fired: No (enforced)
GPS Coordinate: undefined, undefined
Photographer: Cody Covey

[Arthur Morris]

The hen distracts because:

1-her head is too close to the head of the drake
2-her poor head angle
3-she is too close to the male

For these juxtaposition images to work the subjects need to be offset more and have matching head angles....

The light water behind the birds draws the viewer's eye.

Good that you have the birds back in the frame.

[Don Lacy]

Hi Cody, I think Arthur hit all the points on why the Hen does not work in the image now if you have any image of the male alone I would like to see those.

[Cody Covey]

Thanks for the critique. To be honest about 2 weeks ago (before signing on here) I would've saw the pretty colors of the woody drake and thought this was a great image. After spending a lot of time here pouring over images and especially your head angle thread I have been deleting a lot more images, and just not taking many more that I normally would have.

I do have a some of the drake alone let me do a repost when I get home. I have a couple drakes on my flickr but they are from a few weeks ago and my angle to the bird was bad as I was standing instead of sitting like in this one.

Thanks everyone!

[Daniel Cadieux]

Thanks for the critique. To be honest about 2 weeks ago (before signing on here) I would've saw the pretty colors of the woody drake and thought this was a great image. After spending a lot of time here pouring over images and especially your head angle thread I have been deleting a lot more images, and just not taking many more that I normally would have.

Excellent!! That's what BPN is all about

Artie hit the main points. Glad you were able to get some others and looking forward to seeing them...

P.S. I love the water's colour and texture in URC - if you got some of the male swimming fully in that area that would be awesome!!

[Cody Covey]

Here is a picture of just the drake.



Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Camera Maker: Canon
Camera Model: Canon EOS 40D
Lens: EF75-300mm f/4-5.6
Image Date: 2011-03-05 12:05:04 -0800
Focal Length: 300.0mm
Aperture: f/5.6
Exposure Time: 0.0013 s (1/800)
ISO equiv: 250
Exposure Bias: none
Metering Mode: Matrix
Exposure: aperture priority (semi-auto)
White Balance: Auto
Flash Fired: No (enforced)
GPS Coordinate: undefined, undefined
Photographer: Cody COvey

[Arthur Morris]

Cody, From Pane 17: would've seen.... And poring over images (examining closely)..... Sorry, the teacher in me could not be restrained :)

[Arthur Morris]

For the repost you did a good job of isolating the drake. But there are lots of problems including the harsh, off angled light, and the fact that the image sharpness and quality are less than ideal.

Finding these guys in the shade or on a cloudy day would have helped you out quite a bit.

[Cody Covey]

For the repost you did a good job of isolating the drake. But there are lots of problems including the harsh, off angled light, and the fact that the image sharpness and quality are less than ideal.

Finding these guys in the shade or on a cloudy day would have helped you out quite a bit.

Well just tear me down!!! Thanks a lot for the advice I'm about to head back out and hopefully I will be steadily improving!

[Arthur Morris]

Thanks for being open Cody. If I were to tell you that the image was great so that you would like me or be more likely to hand out here is absurd and would not help you to improve :) Get to work!

I did not mention above that the very fastest way to learn bird photography is to get yourself copies of ABP and ABP II. Buy the two together to save $10, and then hit the books!

[Cody Covey]

Thanks for being open Cody. If I were to tell you that the image was great so that you would like me or be more likely to hand out here is absurd and would not help you to improve :) Get to work!

I did not mention above that the very fastest way to learn bird photography is to get yourself copies of ABP and ABP II. Buy the two together to save $10, and then hit the books!

Which is exactly why I came here and have been reading as much as possible. I belong to photography-on-the.net and while there is a ton of info there as well, when you post pictures all you get back is, "Nice Picture". I've read enough of your posts here to know that you, as well as others posting critiques, are genuinely trying to help and don't mean to be mean or rude when posting a critique. So again thank you Artie and everyone else that is so open and helpful!

[Arthur Morris]

YAW. I was the one who insisted on "honest but gentle" from the get-go and I continue to try and lead by example (even though at times I feel like the executioner) :).

[Cody Covey]

I have a question about the reposted drake. The head appears, to me, to be pretty sharp. Am I blind? Also do you think going to F8 or so would've rendered the rest of the drake in focus as well? I definitely see the from about the end of the head back it definitely get some and looks a bit weird. I think some of that has to do with the light but F5.6 probably didn't help...correct?

[Arthur Morris]

It is a rather simple matter: look closely at the eye and the pupil. Both are blurry.... Compare the eye in your image with the eye in this Wood Duck image.... In addition, there is little feather detail in your image. I believe that it has much more to do with the accuracy of focus, with shutter speed, and with keeping the lens still :)

[Arthur Morris]

Here is another for comparison with the duck larger in the frame.

[Sid Garige]

even though at times I feel like the executioner :).

Artie,
You are the reason why many of us picked camera. Your honesty is always appreciated and admired.

-Sid

[Cody Covey]

Okay looking at those I definitely see what you mean, Thanks for posting them. Although now I feel like none of my images are sharp haha :)

[Arthur Morris]

Okay looking at those I definitely see what you mean, Thanks for posting them. Although now I feel like none of my images are sharp haha :)

YAW. That was the plan :) By setting high standards I will help you to improve :)

As I said, get the two books and start studying if you really want to improve....

[Arthur Morris]

Artie, You are the reason why many of us picked camera. Your honesty is always appreciated and admired. -Sid

Thanks Sid. I am confused as to what you mean here:

"You are the reason why many of us picked camera. "

[Sid Garige]

Thanks Sid. I am confused as to what you mean here:

"You are the reason why many of us picked camera. "

Arite,

Here is my story.

I never dreamed of becoming a nature photographer but always enjoyed viewing nature images. In late 2004 I accidentally stumbled upon your bulletin archive on the web and ended up spending all day reading them. More than the images it is the stories that captivated me and inspired me. I always wanted to travel and I thought by becoming a nature photographer I get to travel to all those exotic places. With little money I saved up I bought a used Olympus E-10 and tried my luck at Ft.Desoto almost every weekend for couple of months. After realizing my images were nowhere close to what you produce, I thought if I can watch you in the field and do exactly what you do I will be able to produce images like yours. Luckily, I ran into someone who signed up for your SW Florida IPT at Suncoast camera club and he shared IPT schedule with me. I was so excited about IPT I even bought a TCON-14B teleconverter and tripod. Intent was to follow you and your group for whole weekend and learn from watching you in the field. But when I saw the big lens lineup at Venice rookery and you walking around giving instructions, I was completely intimidated and could not even come up to the front to shoot. I stood in the back and watched you and others photographing great blues. Later on I ran into many other photographers who helped me in becoming a better photographer. But your bulletins inspired me in becoming a photographer. I am always thankful for that. I ran into quite a few photographer friends who say “Birds as Art” book changed their life and inspired them in becoming nature photographers.

[Arthur Morris]

Thanks for your kind words Sid. You meant, "You are the reason many of us picked up a camera."

You should join us on an IPT one of these years :)