The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
This was taken about seven years ago at the Huntington Library and Gardens in San Marino, CA. It has one of the best cactus collections anywhere in the world. It also has an amazing array of hummingbirds, most of whom migrate through in the Spring and some of who stick around and take advantage of seemingly year round blossoms somewhere in the gardens. Fortunately this Annas hummingbird kept coming to these Puya Venusta flower clusters. I finally got one.
Specific Feedback
I know the scene is frenetic and brightly colored, but that is how it was. I hope the blurred wings don’t detract too much from the overall image, but I do think they indicate motion pretty well.
Technical Details
Canon 60D, f6.3, 1/320s, iso 640, 100-400 at 400 mm. Topaz denoise and sharpening applied. I’ve lost the original RAW files in a terrible external hard drive crash that I’ve tried numerous ways to recover about a year and a half of my old RAW files from.
Critique Template
Use of the template is optional, but it can help spark ideas.
I think that the hummer looks fine, but more sun would bring out more of the colors. Wing blur in hummingbird photography is always a touchy subject. I like to freeze motion, but in this case wing blur adds to the story so it is fine. Nice detail on the head and body. Well done…Jim
Ed: I really envy you the opportunity and the image. I like the wing position and the motion and the BG as well. I also think it’s cool that the hummer is emerging from the flowers in the FG. Almost a cram. Nicely done. >=))>
A fun catch! I love the emerging bird and wonder about blurring the flowers in the UL corner a bit.
I love that place, and you just reminded me of a cactus I meant to buy and never got around to it. And now the kids have moved up to the North Bay and I don’t have a good excuse to go back again.
I really appreciate your comments @Jim_Zablotny, @Bill_Fach and @Diane_Miller. I was just starting to learn how to take hummingbirds at the time. I was kind of shocked that it came out as sharp as it did. Diane, I will go back and work on blurring that URC. I think you’re on to something there. Thank you all.
Upper left – above the lovely in-focus flowers. I initially typed URC and caught it as soon as it posted and edited it – maybe you saw it before I changed it! (I think all artistic people are dyslexic. My husband often has occasion to say, “Your other left.”)
