Florida Scrub Jay

[gail bisson]

This was a set-up
Canon 1D MKIV
F 500mm
Manual
ISO 640
SS 1/2000
f 8.0
i cloned out the end of the branch as it was very "ratty".
Almost full frame.
PP in LR3 and CS5. I did minimal USM on the JPEG ( 15%/ 0.3) as the feathers appear super sharp right out of the camera
Comments and critiques always appreciated and learned from with thanks,
Gail

[Andrew Merwin]

Well done Gail. I like the DoF, the BG, & the IQ. The budding blossoms are a very nice touch.

[Arthur Morris]

Ditto the positives above. Looks a bit right overall. Pointing the lens more to the right would have gotten the bird out of the center.

[Colin Driscoll]

Lovely shot Gail. The bird is a bit central, maybe a vertical crop would be better?

[Cheryl Arena Molennor]

Great detail head turn and choice of perch. Image looks just a little bright to me. Agreed about the centering.

[gail bisson]

You spoke and I listened. I decreased the brightness and cropped to put the bird to the right. Thanks for your input, it has really improved this shot,
Gail
PS I think I will clone out the leaf on the branch that is touching the RHS. Also, the picture is posting larger than the OP . Why?

[Robert Holguin]

Excellent shot!! I really like the pose, great perch, wonderful background, and I really like the light. I personally like the OP.
Well done.

[Stu Bowie]

Hi Gail, I do like the pose, and this fellow has lovely soft blues on him. Dont you just love it when you have to use minimal sharpening on an image.

Ive always wondered if Im understanding the the term 'moving the camera more to the right, or more to the left' to take the subject out of a central placement. I could be totally wrong, and after this, Someone will tell me what is right or wrong. When Artie mentioned moving the camera to the right, Im assuming he means pointing the camera to the right, but using a focussing point on the left. That would place the subject on the left with more space on the right. Here is my version for what I had to work with. I know there is not enough space below, but I cropped above your signature and wished for more space on the right. I have also run a multiply blending mode to darken the overall image.

[Jack Breakfast]

That's a pretty bird alright. Stuart's repost is my favorite. I too would love an explanation from Arthur RE 'pointing the lens more to the right'

[Arno Ellmer]

Stunning , Gail !
I would agree with Stuart;s comments ,as well as Arties intended recomp.( lens pointed right , focus point shifted to left ). This would put the bird on the left ,looking into space ,as Stuart has done, as far as he could with the available canvas.
Really great capture and beautifully presented , and even better with Stuart's recomp .

[Arthur Morris]

Hey Stu,

re:

I've always wondered if Im understanding the the term 'moving the camera more to the right, or more to the left' to take the subject out of a central placement.

Here's what I wrote, "Pointing the lens more to the right would have gotten the bird out of the center"

I could be totally wrong, and after this, Someone will tell me what is right or wrong.

No right or wrong but you understood what I said. Point the lens to the right means point the lens to the right. That moves the bird left in the frame as you did with your perfect repost.


When Artie mentioned moving the camera to the right, Im assuming he means pointing the camera to the right,

Pointing the lens to the right actually moves the camera to the left a bit but we won't go there....

but using a focussing point on the left.

There are lots of way to get the image sharp in these situations. Choosing an appropriate sensor on the left side of the array often works well and is often easiest but rear focus can work too as can One-Shot. Or manual focus....

That would place the subject on the left with more space on the right. Here is my version for what I had to work with.

Perfecto!

I know there is not enough space below, but I cropped above your signature and wished for more space on the right. I have also run a multiply blending mode to darken the overall image.


Superbly well done and just what I had in mind :)

[Stu Bowie]

Artie. Phew!!!! So I did understand what you had in mind. My one brain cell still has what it takes. Thanks a stack.

[gail bisson]

OK..I know that I am spatially challenged but in Stuart's great repost the bird is more in the center than in the OP. That is, to my eye, the bird's head is center in the horizontal plane. Please explain what you guys meant by off center.
Gail

[Grace Scalzo]

I love studying composition and determining what works and why. Discussions on the subject are always educational and interesting. I'll take a stab at an answer but avoid the term "centered" in this application. Good (Pleasing) comp is partially affected by size of subject in the frame. Your bird takes up a large part of it, and in your original post makes the image feel really unbalanced. That, combined with the empty space on the left, it just doesn't sit right. Stuart's works because he has minimized the negative space, and created a lovely diagonal with the bird's body (head thru tail) coming up from a corner. This is really a portrait type of comp and if you study portraits, eyes in the upper third and often some where near center really look great.

[gail bisson]

Thanks Grace. I understand and like your explanation!
Gail

[Arthur Morris]

OK..I know that I am spatially challenged but in Stuart's great repost the bird is more in the center than in the OP. That is, to my eye, the bird's head is center in the horizontal plane. Please explain what you guys meant by off center. Gail

In the original post there are five units of space from the bird's bill to the right frame edge and only four units of space from the tail tip to the left frame edge. The bird is practically centered. And as I said on the SW FLA IPT, "Nobody gives a rat's A** about what's behind the bird."

In Stu's repost there are almost five units of space from the bird's bill to the right frame edge and only 1 1/2 units of space from the tail tip to the left frame edge. The bird is placed well back in the frame as it should be. This is basic big in the frame composition 101 as covered in detail in both ABP and ABP II .

General rule for relatively large in the frame birds: have a least 2-3 times as much room in front of the bird as behind the bird.

[Arthur Morris]

That's a pretty bird alright. Stuart's repost is my favorite. I too would love an explanation from Arthur RE 'pointing the lens more to the right'

As explained elsewhere, pointing the lens to the right means pointing the lens to the right. Go figure!