Got this little friend yesterday :)
Finally it's songbird time again ! :D
Hope I can get many more songbirds in my last week in Vancouver...
Do you have aproblem with the tip of the cattail coming out of the bird ?
I cloned it out, but then the picture lost its balance, so I decided to leave it :)
full frame
Last edited by Jan Wegener; 04-13-2008 at 12:58 PM.
Nice details on this little fella, and I like the full side view as well. If you have more of the cattail below the wren, I'd be inclined to clone out the part above the bird, and crop the shot vertically.
Great shot in any case. Your photos are always inspiring.
like I said, I like it better with the tip of the cattail, because it balances the picture.
I for me this is also not a real vertical pose, for that I had to be further away...
Jan, I agree about the weird noise reduction, I use a little of gassian blur, but since the image has low resolution is hard to work on it, about the tip of cattail, let me ask you who is your main subject here? the cattail is not, I am sure.
I prefer with the tip of the cattail left in as that spike is such an integral part (and field mark) of that plant...cloning it out makes it look un-natural - like it's missing an obvious part of it. Excellent image with a typical wren feel to it.
Jan is correct, the top of the cattail needs to stay. I like the slightly richer colors in JC's repost but the Gaussian blurring of the edges of the bird are unacceptable. So far nobody has mentioned the biggest flaw in this image: the bird's head is turned slightly away from you. Parallel is OK; Slightly towards you is ideal (especially here with the bird's body being angled ever-so-slightly away from you.
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Totally agree that the top of the cattail must stay. I do like the slight increase in saturation on the second post, but am in agreement that the Gaussian blurring on the edge of the bird has degraded the original. Very nice framing and sharp detail. I love the pose. It would have been great if the bird had turned it's head a bit towards you, but even so I would love to have this one!
Must say that I prefer Jan's attempt much, much more. In my opinion, cattail can stay, and what makes it for me is the bird's strong braceful stance ... really letting rip !! Would love to have this one in my collection. GREAT STUFF !!
Marsh Wren
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