Blue Teal Ducks... and a turtle.

[Jack]

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I'm a retired novice at photography.
I didn't notice the turtle until I got home. Other shots have the ducks in better position but not the turtle.
Looking for how this photo could be improved. Should that one blade of grass in front of the duck on the left be removed? Or is it best to keep a photo as it was taken?
It is kind of a bland photo.
Thanks,
Jack

 

[cjh]

Hello Jack,

I think it’s kind of a fun photo, with the turtle and all. Especially as you noticed it later on!

I don’t think I’d spend much time editing, but have one tis for future shots in a similar setting which can’t be implemented in post-production: - simply get down as low as you possibly can. Aim for the waterline and try to raise up as little as possible before shooting. Getting at water/eye level would make an enormous difference to the overall effect of the shot. In the shot above you’d have blurred the water, generated distance between subject and background, and had wonderful Teals, turtles & blades of grass surfacing above the level.

It’s sometimes hard to do when your access is restricted, but it’s a game changer.

All the best!

 

[Jack]

Thank you, cjh.
It was taken in a wildlife refuge and the current rules require one to stay in their vehicle. Thanks to Covig-19.
I guess I just need to learn to move on and not get hung up on a bad composition.
Jack

 

[cjh]

It’s not a bad shot, Jack! Enjoy it . Here‘s a shot that’s somewhere close. It’s far from a perfect example of what I’m explaining, but an attempt where I tried to get as close to the water level as possible.

https://flic.kr/p/2jzVAyV

 

[Tibor Hrnko]

I would point out two items, that are distracting IMO:
- Strong reflections on the water and busy background, they are stealing the viewers attention away from ducks.
- Leaf in front of the standing one and the stem behind it do not enhance the environment. They more like split the duck itself.

 

[DRwyoming]

I'd agree with the advice above. To my eyes the overall image is about half a stop or more over exposed and the brights are too bright at least viewed on this monitor (an uncalibrated laptop). You might be able to correct that in post, especially if you shot this in raw mode but the overall scene brightness and the way the second duck just seems to blend into the bright background don't help the image.

Still a fun capture and a shame you were restricted to the high shooting angle but the key thing is to get out and keep capturing images and you'll get more opportunities like this but where things line up better for you.

 

[Jack]

I thank you all for your input.
In reviewing posts on this site one gets a lesson on what makes a good photo.
This photo is probably a great candidate to learn Lightroom with.
Jack