The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
I spent Friday and Saturday at Whitefish Point and was surprised to find a juvenile American White Pelican up at the point. The bird provided a close to shore flyby as waves crashed the shoreline. The sun was starting to set so the lighting was quite optimal for this shot.
Specific Feedback
Because the pelican was located on the LH side of the frame, I prudently cropped it to 8x10 with extra space on the left. How do you like the crop?
Technical Details
Z9 600mm f4 (1/4000 sec at f8.0, ISO 800) Levels, DeNoise, Highlight Reduction, Brightness & Contrast, Crop for Comp.
Critique Template
Use of the template is optional, but it can help spark ideas.
The crop works fine for me, Jim. You might think about bringing up the background water a bit as the evening light on the pelican is giving this almost a flashed look with that really dark background.
A gorgeous capture – wonderful detail in great light!! It seems trivial but for me the breaking wave behind the bird is a bit eye-catching – not sure why as I love the one ahead of him. It may be that there is an impression of him being supported by the wave, which is rising on both sides of him. (How’s that for a trivial nit?) I wonder about cloning over it – with the blue waves rather than the dark water, to level it out. Had to have a look at it. While I was playing I removed the splashes between the wings and darkened the lighter yellowish water below and to our right of the bird. It is a transition without an obvious reason (at least to me) and is eye-catching. OK – back to minding my own business!
Jim, nice capture. Lovely detail here, and I like the contour of that wave, even if it runs through the pelican.
I think leaving more room in front was prudent, but I think you have too much empty space below the bird. It feels as though it should be weighted in the lower right third, rather than “in the middle (vertically) and a little to the right.” Especially since the dark foreground water is largely textureless compared to the rest of the frame, it feels like a yawning chasm that’s drawing my attention away from all the good stuff.
Hi Jim
This is the photograph that comes to mind every time I think about Pelicans. They’re gliding across the shore, carried by the uplift from the wave just behind them. So for me, I would stay with the framing you have.
Peter
