Very common bird. Looking for critiques.
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First post! Rainy day bird.
- Thread starter Blake81
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Sweet picture, keep em coming!
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You seem to have mastered the technicals (exposure, narrow DOF, etc.)
Now think about purpose: portrait, environmental or image showing subject's natural interaction with something else? Why are you taking the photo? How do you want the viewer to react? Or think? Or feel?
Also think about composition. Generally, giving a bit more space in the direction the subject is facing is preferable to always putting the subject in the center. Also, consider the aspect ratio in relation to the subject: 1:1, 4:3, 16:9, etc......
Now think about purpose: portrait, environmental or image showing subject's natural interaction with something else? Why are you taking the photo? How do you want the viewer to react? Or think? Or feel?
Also think about composition. Generally, giving a bit more space in the direction the subject is facing is preferable to always putting the subject in the center. Also, consider the aspect ratio in relation to the subject: 1:1, 4:3, 16:9, etc......
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Thank you for the feedback! I have always struggled on the composition aspect.
I'll go as hard as I can on you here. Excellent IQ, fantastic color and DoF. Good HA and posture. It looks like you may have lost a touch of detail in the shadows but nothing obscene. Clean BG though it's a touch boring as far as color goes. Crop is a little tighter than I personally like. You can use a little more space in the direction of where the bird is looking. I'd say dead center on the eyeball at a bare minimum.
All in all it's a fantastic image. The only "issue" to me is the crop and lack of space in the direction the bird is looking in.
IQ is solid like others. Getting down to eye level with the animal would completely change this image. Looking down onto the subject like this works just fine for ID and proof image, but doesn't do much for me compositionally.
This is a super tight crop, but this is what @Butlerkid and I are talking about where the bird is looking.
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I really appreciate the feedback! You have really good points and I understand what you are saying. I will make the crop adjustments you mention and have another look.
I see what you are saying here as well. Makes total sense..
That does look much better. I see what you are saying.
Woody Meristem
Well-known member
Although I agree that the photo of the armadillo would be somewhat better if the camera had been lower, there are many circumstances where that is difficult or impossible and the result is still an excellent photo. The armadillo is a good example of the animal having space to the front.
Thank you. This was one of those circumstances. I was only about 20' away but it was on the side of an embankment. I got as low as I could without getting into the ditch with it. An eye level shot would have been great.
Doug Herr
Well-known member
One thing to consider is your perspective: are you at the animal's eye level, or are you towering over it looking down? For myself this means getting lower except for birds/animals high in trees because I tower over a lot of stuff. Getting the camera at the animal's eye level generally gives the viewer a greater sense of connection with the animal.
EDIT: Oops, looks like this point has already been covered.
Still a good point. I appreciate the feedback!