The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
This gull found a free floating fish that was almost without life. He fought off several other gulls and claimed his stake by placing his foot firmly on the fish and daring anyone to even try taking it away from him. Including and especially me!!
Specific Feedback
The sun was kind of harsh and I had to do a lot of PP manipulation to tone down the blown out whites of his feathers. It still needs some work, Suggestions/advice, please?
Use of the template is optional, but it can help spark ideas.
Vision and Purpose:
Conceptual:
Emotional Impact and Mood:
Composition:
Balance and Visual Weight:
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Processing:
Technical:
Hi Lori. The blown whites on the face are hardly noticeable at the scale you posted it. If I’ve needed to fix something like this I’ve sometimes found an area with the same texture and done some judicious cloning with maybe 50% opacity to give it just a hint of texture and to bring down the whites just slightly below the threshold. Another option it a technique called frequency separation (I think I remember that correctly) and if you have the Tony Kuyper plugins for PS he makes it easy. It lets you clone only color or only texture.
A great catch on your part (and the gull’s) and you did a fine job on it.
A wonderful find and the processing looks fine. I think a bit more room on top would be good, and could be added if you con’t have it on the original. A vertical 8x10 could work well here, too.
I think you did a great job on the processing. The way that gull is just staring you down is priceless. I love how the side lighting perks up the gull’s right eye and the left eye is dark. Makes him look even more mad than he is. Almost like Dr. Banner turning in to the Hulk from the old television show.
Great black backed gulls are tough and very formidable when confronted over food. With more room in the comp as others have suggested would improve the composition. You could try teasing down those bright areas in the raw file. Its pretty close to where you would like to be for a final edit. Pose is great and I would not want to lose a finger for that fish…Jim
