The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
I was standing near a shed that has a family of gray foxes living under it for some possible shots at first light when a flock of turkeys came walking by. I swung the camera around and got some captures of them walking in front of some sunrise lit manzanitas in the background. The birds were really close and I had too much glass for the task but I still enjoyed the encounter. Here’s my favorite shot of mamma and some kids. No luck on the foxes, BTW.
Specific Feedback
I looked at the FG grass stems, and BG black branch and considered trying to clone them out but decided that they contribute some. What say you?
Technical Details
Z9, 180-600 lens, Nikon 1.4 TC, monopod, 1/1000th, f 8.0, 555mm, ISO 20000, cropped to 4080 x 2991
Critique Template
Use of the template is optional, but it can help spark ideas.
Nice catch Dave. The adult bird is pleasantly sharp. Too bad the youngsters didn’t fully make it into the focal plane but this is still a fine rendition of the three. The BG elements hold interest to me and give a sense of place. The foreground grasses don’t inhibit our view of the adult that much but I don’t think they contribute either. Would be interesting to see a version without them for comparison. Either way, nice catch of this chance encounter. Sorry the foxes didn’t pan out.
In the small version the grass bothered me a lot, Dave, but in the larger version it wasn’t bad, though I don’t think it adds much to the image. To me, this image looks like it needs quite a bit of counter-clockwise rotation. It could be on a hill, but that tree trunk or post behind the lead turkey looks slanted in the same direction, so I suspect in swinging to get this that you tilted the camera as well (I do it a lot).
This is really interesting and certainly catches the eye. Great colors and low perspective. Lately I’ve been seeing a lot of turkeys on the roadsides with chicks, but none in the yard, unfortunately. Not sure about the rotation issue, the lead bird looks straight enough, but maybe a little. Wish the little ones were crisper, but we get the idea. The grass feels ok to me, but I wonder if just taking down the saturation would make them less prominent. The photo really speaks to how these birds hide in the undergrowth and are ever-watchful.
I agree with @Kris_Smith about the low perspective. As others have said, the grasses are quite noticeable, but it is the bright yellow background that dominates the composition for me. I wonder about reducing the saturation there and maybe darkening it a bit. Just a thought. Thanks for sharing this little family with us.
