The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
Today this lovely Cooper’s hawk was sitting in our crabapple (not cherry) tree watching for a lunch opportunity at our bird feeders.
Specific Feedback
I know this is super-busy. I tried using the Lens Blur in LrC and the neural filters’ Depth Blur in PS but they didn’t work that well. I wound up doing an inverted radial gradient with low clarity in LrC. How can I make this more pleasing and less busy? A different crop? Any suggestions appreciated.
Technical Details
Fuji X-H2S, 1/2000s, f/7.1, ISO 4000, 406mm
Imported to LrC with DXO PureRaw.
Critique Template
Use of the template is optional, but it can help spark ideas.
I like how the eye and cherries are the same color. Excellent facial detail. It’s a nice habitat shot and I’m not sure how much more you could do. A couple of suggestions: one would be to see if you could remove the brown branch coming down on the left; and the other would be to see if darkening the brown on the front of the hawk or increasing contrast makes a difference. A very minor thing would be to remove the three small stems above the head. I think the crop is good and any more might make the bird seem tight in the frame. Overall, I think this is an attractive image.
I wouldn’t worry at all about the business of the image, Debbie. The background is so busy that it becomes a pattern and the hawk is different enough in color and tonality that it stands out very nicely. If you feel like you need to do something, the only thing I’d recommend is removing a couple of the thinner branches like the light colored one going up the left side which doesn’t fit the pattern well.
I’m surprised you still have all those cherries, but to me they make a delightful background.
Debbie, this is an excellent image! The hawk is sharp, great colours, and a bright eye. The busy BG is not too distracting, and the cherries (?) are excellent.
I’d like to get my hands on this when I’m back at my PC in a couple days and might have a few suggestions then about cleaning up parts of the BG.
Really sweet image!
I added the reworked image where I removed the light branch on the left and the red stems right above the hawk’s head, and deepened the browns on the front of the hawk a bit. I think it’s a subtle but big improvement.
Excellent job on the repost, Debbie. It’s always difficult to figure out where to stop when trying to clean up a background like this-very easy to get totally carried away.
A very nice image. I agree completely with @Dennis_Plank : don’t worry about the busy branches. Not everything needs to be cleaned and smoothed out (this isn’t Instagram for an adolescent, is it?). Your rework is definitely an improvement, great suggestion by @Allen_Brooks and @Dennis_Plank .
The hawk stands out clearly and the berries are a nice environment. Since the hawk is waiting for lunch, it would be very strange if he didn’t try hide a bit.
I have a similar image of a sparrowhawk (not posted), in a similar setting. The hawk was waiting near the bird feeder for maybe 10 minutes, hoping for an easy catch. All branches around him and unfortunately no berries. Nevertheless a nice moment and for me worth capturing.
@Diane_Miller and @Allen_Sparks thank you! The eye color/cherry matchup was fortuitous. This shot was also taken through a window, so I’m happy it turned out well.
Love this! I dont think the “business” is a problem. I do like images with shallow depth of field, but in this case, to soften the image around the bird would sort of look too contrived . I like what you’ve done and am jealous of the sighting! We have them around here in Bozeman, but the trees in my neighborhood are too small for a lot of birds. Great shot!
This shows how well accipiter hawks blend into the surroundings. The comp is fine and the edits that @Allen_Brooks suggested could be worth a try. I think that this type of image has a lot of info necessary for the picture’s story. Well done…Jim
Hi Debbie
The Art and Wardrobe department could not have matched the Cooper’s eye with the Cherrys better. The only tree bits that I thing may need removing was the limb over the Hawk’s head.
Nice work.
Peter
