Circle of life

Image Critiques
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Original - IMG_8898.jpeg
Original - IMG_8898.jpeg1920×1081 914 KB

Weekly Challenge

Decay and Renewal
10/25/26 - 10/31/26
Critique Style: Standard

The photographer is looking for thoughtful feedback on the image as a whole, especially around the areas noted below.

Feedback Focus: Artistic / Expressive

About This Image

We were in South Luangwa National Park in Zambia on a game drive when we came on this White Headed Vulture picking the last scraps of this Cape Buffalo skull. The vulture was very industrious and would repeatedly disappear and reappear behind the skull. I thought this photo was a bit humorous.

Feedback Requested

I would appreciate any thought about the composition and how to make the photo better.

Technical Details

Canon R5m2
RF 100-500
ISO 800. 270mm. f5.6. 1/2000

2

Timothy, this photo is so apropos for this Halloween time of year, It’s freaky, ghoulish, and yet intriguing . What a capture!!

I have no nits.

Alice.

3

This is so good, on so many levels! It certainly tells a tale of Decay and Renewal but it also has the feel of carefully composed fine art. The position of the bird in the buffalo skull gives this image an eerie, mysterious vibe which I think is enhanced by the (nearly) monochromatic palette. Very well done!

4

Excellent capture, Timothy. Quite a unique image. Definitely tells a story. Composition looks good; not sure how it could be improved.

5

Amazing and wonderful!! There is even detail around the bird’s neck that looks like it has pushed up through a tattered hole, leaving scalloped edges!

6

Fantastic. Definitely a candidate for the Comedy Wildlife Awards, I’d say.

(Nothing wrong with a slightly tighter crop all the way around, IMO.)

7

Thank you Alice

8

Thanks Nancy

9

Thank you Allen.

10

Thank you Diane. Defy case of being in the right place at the right time​:grinning_face:

11

Thanks Max. I’ll play around with the cropping a bit.

12

What a great image! No nits here. I think we should have a comedy section here.

13

Belongs in Borges’ “Book of Imaginary Beings”. The buffalo’s teeth could be the bird’s feet even. Superb catch!

14

Thanks Glenys :grinning_face:

15

Thanks Mike. It was one of those photos you take and don’t appreciate until you are reviewing all your photos later.

16

Great humorous image @timothy3

very nice treatment, composition, capture..

Huw

17

Thank you Huw​:grinning_face:

18

Late to the show on this one, Timothy, but I couldn’t resist downloading it and cleaning up that vertebrae mess. While I was at it I boosted microcontrast in the head and vulture and cropped a bit tighter. Just a variation on a very fine image.

Timothy-IMG_8898 copy
Timothy-IMG_8898 copy1636×997 1.28 MB

1 Like
19

Thanks Dennis I always appreciate your thoughts and suggestions

20

How lovely and even comical!

I might consider reducing the contrast a tad and softening the background to tell the story better