Eastern Phoebe

Image Critiques Avian Critiques
1

Kristen_SmithMay 21, 2023_1125801-Edit.jpg
Kristen_SmithMay 21, 2023_1125801-Edit.jpg2000×1429 1.03 MB

Critique Style Requested: Standard

The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.

Description

Mid-morning yesterday while waiting for hummingbirds to visit the bleeding hearts (never did get a single frame off), I spied a couple of our resident Phoebes doing their thing. Normally they do it off in the mad mess of canopy and high overhead. But then they seemed to like this branch for a second or two and I managed to get this image. It’s my only decent Phoebe image and so I like it for that, but…

Specific Feedback

Would you have even worked on this given the way the bird is facing? Cropping to the right meant more giant tree trunk and I didn’t think it was as pretty and it doesn’t show their environment as well. They glean and chase in canopy, not on trunks/bark. But mostly this is a “birder” photo to me, not a “photographer” image. Maybe I’m getting too picky, but as they are regulars I can always hope and try again.

Technical Details

Handheld sitting on the patio edge

image

Lr for wb adjustment and a crop to eliminate big tree on right and some tangly branches above and below. The usual S-curve to manage luminosity and then Topaz Denoise AI which did the job of removing noise and adding detail. A touch of clarity and texture on the bird only when the TIF came back.

2

While this isn’t a conventional crop, the bird is small enough in the frame that it doesn’t feel overcrowded positioned where it is, Kris, and the slight head turn toward you helps . I like all the environment in this image.

3

Hi Kris, I think this is a nice pose with good look at the eye even though the bird is slightly angled away. I can understand not wanting to include a large tree trunk on the right so this crop works for me as well.

4

Thanks @Dennis_Plank & @Allen_Sparks - glad it doesn’t seem a complete amateur effort. These are maddening little dudes because they are everywhere, but impossible to catch. Literally dozens of times I’ve gotten the camera up, sometimes it does’t make it to my eye, and poof - gone!