May Theme: A Tender Moment

[Norm Dulak]

Nikon D7000 w/Nikkor 28-300mm vrII lens @300mm, HH
ISO 800; f/7.1, 1/800 sec., MM -0.33
PP: PS CS5 Camera Raw luminance noise reduction; levels, curves, crop, sharpen

This is my contribution to the May Courting and Mating theme.

When I arrived last November at New Island, the Falklands, this pair of Black-browed Albatrosses had just produced the egg that they are shown caressing in this image. For me, it was indeed a very tender moment.

Norm

[Randy Stout]

Norm:

I agree, a tender moment. LIke the interaction of the adults with the egg. In a perfect world, would prefer the right birds head to be turned a bit more our way, so we could see the eye better.

Would be curious to see the original uncropped image.

Cheers

Randy

[Norm Dulak]

Norm:

I agree, a tender moment. LIke the interaction of the adults with the egg. In a perfect world, would prefer the right birds head to be turned a bit more our way, so we could see the eye better.

Would be curious to see the original uncropped image.

Cheers

Randy

Thanks Randy.

I wish that I had been positioned a little more to the left, so I could have better captured both birds' eyes. But I understand why the bird's eyes were focused not more toward me, but on that new egg.

The original un-cropped image is attached here. Would you have cropped the image differently, to capture the intimacy I wanted to show?

Norm

[Matthew Studebaker]

I agree with Randy. Wonderful moment captured, I just might try to recompose.

[Norm Dulak]

I agree with Randy. Wonderful moment captured, I just might try to recompose.

Thanks Matthew.

But how would you recompose? I'd appreciate your guidance.

[Daniel Cadieux]

Hi Norm, very tender moment indeed. I love the intimacy of the image, but I do think it is maybe too close as a crop. I'm glad you reposted the uncropped version, here is my take on the comp (quick and dirty). In yours what I don't like as much is the lower bird's floating head, in my repost it is attached to the body and is better anchored to the frame that way (BTW I cropped out the longer tail feather which was not ideal skimming along at bottom edge...you could crop een further to eliminate the black spot in LRC)). Also cropped the top to cut out the two dark triangles at the corners. I believe it retains the intimate moment, but gives ample breathing room and good flow to the comp.

Thanks for giving us a beautiful view of something few of us will get to witness...

[Randy Stout]

Norm:

I like Daniels repost, I might be inclined to leave a bit more at top, but overall think it works better.

Cheers

Randy

[Norm Dulak]

Hi Norm, very tender moment indeed. I love the intimacy of the image, but I do think it is maybe too close as a crop. I'm glad you reposted the uncropped version, here is my take on the comp (quick and dirty). In yours what I don't like as much is the lower bird's floating head, in my repost it is attached to the body and is better anchored to the frame that way (BTW I cropped out the longer tail feather which was not ideal skimming along at bottom edge...you could crop een further to eliminate the black spot in LRC)). Also cropped the top to cut out the two dark triangles at the corners. I believe it retains the intimate moment, but gives ample breathing room and good flow to the comp.

Thanks for giving us a beautiful view of something few of us will get to witness...

Thanks, Daniel, for your comments and the repost. I see the virtue in retaining more of the lower bird.