Ok, this is an image from my beginning of bird photography (so nearly a year old ;-), and browsing today - I found I am still attracted to it, though there are some obvious problems.
"Nowadays", I find the background too undecided, and the eye not prominent enough, sinking into the blacks. But I do like the curves here, the fluffy white foreground and the position of the eye right in the center.
I still find the RAW development of this rather high-key subject to be extremely difficult, and am not really satisfied with what I can do even today.
I do like a square crop on this one, cropping only from the right, but for the sake of this forum wanted to show the whole canvas.
Technical info:
D70 - Manual exposure with f/5 1/500, ISO 400, hand held. Fill flash with -2 EV from the little build-in flash, as the light is really coming from the left behind the bird.
Sigma 70-210 lens at 210. (Phew, do I *like* the Tokina 300/f4 I bought used shortly after this photo was made).
Any comments welcome - maybe also similar example images?
Christof
That is a pretty image, I like the light soft colors also! I think maybe you are on to something with the crop you suggested. Perhaps a vertical crop right up to the head may work or at least worth a look? Maybe a little to the right of the head also but I do think too much space on the right. These birds can really look elegant can't they!!
Christof, I agree with your crop suggestion. A square crop would work good here. I like the details and tonal separation in the whites - nice job there. Missing the eye does bother me and I would have preferred to see it.
Looking back on our own "old" images can be an extremely rewarding exercise. You've obviously come a long way to be able to self-critique as you have...great suggestions, Christof! I think a square crop could work quite nicely as the right side doesn't add much to the power of this image. As you noted, the obscured eye is a large weakness here, but next time you are photographing swans, I'm pretty sure I know what your aim will be. ;)
To simplify things, a famous bird photographer often writes and says that for an image of a preening bird to be successful, the face must be parallel to the imaging sensor (the back of the camera), and the eye must be clearly visible
Follow those simple guidelines and your images of preening birds will improve dramtically.
later and love, artie
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