Which wing position do you prefer?

[MJR]

Lets say you have a BIF sequence which shows the bird with the wing in the upward stroke, the wing straight out and the last with the wing straight down. Which one would be your preference ?
In photo submissions which one (all things being equal, would photo editors tend to select? In photo contests do you see a trend?

 

[JAJohnson]

Lets say you have a BIF sequence which shows the bird with the wing in the upward stroke, the wing straight out and the last with the wing straight down. Which one would be your preference ?
In photo submissions which one (all things being equal, would photo editors tend to select? In photo contests do you see a trend?

Good: Wings up / Wings down
Not Good: Wings straight out

These are my guidelines, but there are exceptions I allow myself.

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[Chappy]

That is a loaded question. I think you have to look at the scene and determine which is the best for that particular scene. For example if I am shooting birds flying low over water I always like the wing tips being as close to the water as possible, however, if i see a small flock of pelicans flying over the water I like the wings to be straight out.

If a hawk or and eagle is taking off the wings straight up is the best, however if they are gliding on thermals or flying low across a field straight out looks the best with their wingtips curled upward. Sometimes you may want to get the eyes and direction of the head. In that case you may want the wings pointed downward.

While my examples are mostly about larger birds i see the same things with smaller birds. it is what best fits the scene you are shooting and one of the great things is that it is easier to get both in a burst series with our high frame rates today.

 

[dkleinsmith]

Great question. With my skill set I generally take what I can get.

 

[BrianSmall]

Lets say you have a BIF sequence which shows the bird with the wing in the upward stroke, the wing straight out and the last with the wing straight down. Which one would be your preference ?
In photo submissions which one (all things being equal, would photo editors tend to select? In photo contests do you see a trend?

Depends upon the species and what field marks you can or cannot see based on the wing position.

 

[wotan1]

I look for interesting shapes and of course it depends on the bird.

 

[txstone]

Wing Positions

I am working on going through 1TB of images from a Florida trip a couple of weeks ago and with 20 and 30FPS you get a tremendous amount of choices. Wing position becomes one of those choices that are a bit subjective. I am curious as to what you like best? Here are three shots that have two...

bcgforums.com

There was a survey with a set of choices here a while back. A good time to free form preferences again.

I agree with responses above that it depends on the bird, markings and interesting shapes. I’d be surprised if you surveyed contests and found a clear preference.

I would add that from my personal preference there are a number of smaller birds, e.g., field sparrows, black birds, and a few more that are difficult to catch in flight and are not very rewarding - to much pump and glide (with wings tucked). There are certainly small bird exceptions, think swallows for example.

 

[txstone]

...
There was a survey with a set of choices here a while back. A good time to free form preferences again.

I agree with responses above that it depends on the bird, markings and interesting shapes. I’d be surprised if you surveyed contests and found a clear preference.

I would add that from my personal preference there are a number of smaller birds, e.g., field sparrows, black birds, and a few more that are difficult to catch in flight and are not very rewarding - to much pump and glide (with wings tucked). There are certainly small bird exceptions, think swallows for example.

This is what I mean by pump and glide with wings tucked..

 

[arbitrage]

Wings? Who needs wings?....LOL

Northern Bullet Owl by Bird/Wildlife Photos, on Flickr

 

[Louis champan]

Cool shot Geoff.

 

[Snapshot2020]

My favorite Trumpeter Swan wing position. Hugs, hugs, anyone….

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[SMB]

As above, it really depends on the bird; long neck, short neck, etc. Also the lighting can make a difference. Sometimes wingtip shadows can be interesting.
I like doing pan blurs so then wing position is secondary to head sharpness. But in general I prefer the power stroke where the primary feathers curl.

You can only see EXIF info for this image if you are logged in.

You can only see EXIF info for this image if you are logged in.

 

[Obeach]

Lets say you have a BIF sequence which shows the bird with the wing in the upward stroke, the wing straight out and the last with the wing straight down. Which one would be your preference ?
In photo submissions which one (all things being equal, would photo editors tend to select? In photo contests do you see a trend?

Depends on the species and where the field marks are.

 

[O]

Tuck and glide is my preference, you don't see it that often.

They are all nice photos, just the T and G is different.

 

[maxxus46]

I feel the wings need to play a dynamic within the frame. Wing positions should help tell the story, or create tension. Some wing positions can hurt the overall composition... Or can help depending on surrounding context (are there other birds within the frame? If so how does the wing position help tie the composition together ?) For example, with a recent photo I had captured of an osprey , I used a particular wing position to create a triangle within the frame to help keep the eye on the subjects. The wing position while the parent was bringing its catch to its offspring.. helped create a dynamic that wouldn't exist without the parents wings hovering over the offspring. So I think it's all about context within a photo. Here is that photo: https://bcgforums.com/threads/osprey-feeding-the-family.41088/

 

[EricBowles]

I just ran through this recent presentation by Arthur Morris. He's probably the most critical I know about head and wing position. This particular presentation was on the wide range of shutter speeds he uses - and how he uses them.

In images selected by Artie for this program, the key is full wing extension. While there are some exceptions, 95% of his images have full wing extension. Most of the time that's full upstroke of the wings, and for many birds that is only to horizontal or a little more. There are a few images at full downstroke of the wings - especially for wading birds and ducks. In between positions are almost always when the wing is not the subject - such as a V look when the bird is coming directly at the camera.

So my response on what is preferred is the images you want are at full wing extension with as much of the top or bottom sides of the wings as possible exposed to the camera. There is further emphasis is on texture or something interesting.

When I judge, I place a high emphasis on head and wing position. Full extension of wings (up or down) is normally required for a winning image but full downstroke can work. Head position is almost always slightly toward the camera and generally slightly turned away is a negative. The negative of a slightly turned away bird may be offset if it is to provide a maximum view of both wings at maximum upstroke.

 

[Pat M]

I like a little splash!!! Any BIF is a favorite shot to me.

 

[O]

My Girlfriend asked what is it i see in that Tuck and Glide image............

What i see is a sign of conscious intent, a concentrated expression in the face, a angle of steepness, a well positioned frame giving the impression of urgency and speed, harnessing all the aerodynamic advantages, its on a mission, and there is no showing of wings. Its like a missile, or a living bullet.
Well captured, a wall hanger.
Only an opinion

 

[maxxus46]

Agreed, I have been following Arthur Morris aka "Artie" for several years now ..he is an inspiration with decades of BIF experience . It's worth following his blog for weekly critiques of his own photos, as it's a great way to learn more about this type of photography. Take care

I just ran through this recent presentation by Arthur Morris. He's probably the most critical I know about head and wing position. This particular presentation was on the wide range of shutter speeds he uses - and how he uses them.

In images selected by Artie for this program, the key is full wing extension. While there are some exceptions, 95% of his images have full wing extension. Most of the time that's full upstroke of the wings, and for many birds that is only to horizontal or a little more. There are a few images at full downstroke of the wings - especially for wading birds and ducks. In between positions are almost always when the wing is not the subject - such as a V look when the bird is coming directly at the camera.

So my response on what is preferred is the images you want are at full wing extension with as much of the top or bottom sides of the wings as possible exposed to the camera. There is further emphasis is on texture or something interesting.

When I judge, I place a high emphasis on head and wing position. Full extension of wings (up or down) is normally required for a winning image but full downstroke can work. Head position is almost always slightly toward the camera and generally slightly turned away is a negative. The negative of a slightly turned away bird may be offset if it is to provide a maximum view of both wings at maximum upstroke.

 

[maxxus46]

Ahh...the famous Conductor Pose! Nice

My favorite Trumpeter Swan wing position. Hugs, hugs, anyone….View attachment 102604

 

[Dinusaur]

This is what I like the most, unfortunately it was a controlled environment in a raptor conservancy habitat, nothing like this ever repeated for a Bald Eagle in the wild for me, not yet; however, I do have similar photos for Great Blue Heron, Ospreys etc. in the wild.

https://flic.kr/p/yDu1Y8

https://flic.kr/p/xZ7Ps6