Coots are very territorial birds. And they love a good fight. They are courageous too: I’ve seen them chase away a mute swan, that came too close to the nest.
In spring, there are the disputes over the ladies. These two gave a good show.
Type of Critique Requested
Aesthetic: Feedback on the overall visual appeal of the image, including its color, lighting, cropping, and composition.
Conceptual: Feedback on the message and story conveyed by the image.
Specific Feedback and Self-Critique
The event took place pretty far from my viewpoint, I had to crop pretty much. The rest of the image is mostly water. Do you think that I cropped too tight?
Any other feedback welcome as well.
Technical Details
Pentax K3 Mk. III, Sigma 4/100-300mm @300mm, ISO800, f/6.3, 1/1600sec.
Hi Han, I really like the interaction you captured here and those red eyes are really something. I think the details held up pretty well in the large version given the large crop you mentioned. Nice exposure on the birds as well. I’d prefer more room on the right and left especially given the splashing water we have the pleasure of viewing. I think just a tad more room on the bottom might help as well. Nice job capturing this behavior.
I agree with Allen about the crop, Han. The message certainly comes across that this wasn’t the most friendly of interactions. I love the positions of the feet against one another. Not only does it convey the interaction, but coot feet are just cool!
Excellent interaction shot. I’ve seen hundreds of coots, but never anything like this. I agree with the thoughts on cropping. I like the water coming off the supine coot and a wider crop might show more. It’s probably just me, but I’d be tempted to clone out the water drop below the supine coot’s eye as at first it looked to me as a second eye and draws my attention a bit.
Thanks @Allen_Sparks , @Allen_Brooks and @Dennis_Plank for your comments, much appreciated.
Your comments echo my own feelings about the crop. I wanted to show the interaction as large as possible, but felt uncomfortable with the tight crop.
I see what you mean. In the repost I cloned out the drop.
The looser second version works very well. I have seen coots chasing and splashing, but this is much more exciting. A bird brawl! The feet are the best part, but the frozen water makes for an effective frame and gives it more energy. One thing I usually do with bird or wildlife photos is to brighten the eye or face just a tad and I think that migh work nicely here to bring attention to those wonderful eyes. Super catch and lightning reflexes with what must have been over in a few seconds!
Thanks, but too much praise for me The fight continued several minutes, the main challenge was to find a good viewpoint and they more or less ran over the water. So I have a lot of shots, but few keepers. Heads turned away, one body obscuring the other, not sharp enough and so on. Had to expose carefully too, because the white head and bill is easily blown out, while the dark parts must keep some detail.
Good idea to brighten the face.
Hi Han
This photograph gives us a good look at Mother Nature in the spring, very cool auction with well exposed grayscale and eye contact. I like the second posting, as it give the Coots room to breathe.
Ps keep the water droplets.
Peter
Always spectacular to watch en frame. I definitely prefer the repost, and it shows much more of the birds and the original felt too tight to my taste. Action well captured, congrats ! Hans
The fight continued several minutes, the main challenge was to find a good viewpoint and they more or less ran over the water. So I have a lot of shots, but few keepers. Heads turned away, one body obscuring the other, not sharp enough and so on. Had to expose carefully too, because the white head and bill is easily blown out, while the dark parts must keep some detail.