The photographer has shared comprehensive information about their intent and creative vision for this image. Please examine the details and offer feedback on how they can most effectively realize their vision.
Self Critique
I like the minimalism, the barely recognizable shape of the bird, and the shimmer in the wings.
I’d appreciate any ideas on how it could be improved. It’s a very minimalistic image, and I didn’t want to mess with it too much.
Creative direction
I’m still inspired by Jiri Hrebicek’s webinar, which I watched on this site a few weeks ago. I love the dream-like images he creates, so I was trying to emulate his style here by panning the bird with a slow shutter speed. The picture can be interpreted in multiple ways; I think it’s up to the viewer to decide for themselves.
Specific Feedback
Is there anything I can do to improve this image?
P.S. After the feedback from this group, I debated whether to add fake space at the bottom or not using AI. In the end, I decided not to, because I want to minimize my use of AI in photography (although that’s getting harder and harder), because one could tell a story about it not having as much space to fly into (metaphor for aging?, planetery destruction?) and because sometimes it’s OK to break the rules.
Technical Details
Fuji X-T5
Fuji 150-600 mm/f5.6-8 at 230 mm
1/8 sec; f/9; ISO 400
Continuous autofocus
6-stop ND filter
Description
I’m trying to go beyond straight photography and experiment with different creative approaches to photographing nature.
I think you achieved your creative goal, Canan. Very abstract, yet clear as to what this is. My only thought might be to decrease the highlights between the wings, as it tends to draw the eye.
Lovely!! For my taste (which can legitimately be questioned) I think a vertical frame could feel more relaxed. There is lovely implied motion here but I see it going out the bottom of the frame with nothing happening on the sides. I also want to visualize more canvas on the bottom. But you are the artist! This sort of work can be wonderfully artistic with so much variability. Show us more!
I like this a lot, Canan. I was going to suggest a vertical composition as @Diane_Miller did. The extra space on the sides doesn’t seem to add anything to the image for me. The gull itself is just gorgeous.
Really creative Canan. Love seeing the energy this image demonstrates with a nice backdrop. My thoughts mirror Diane’s with more space for the bird to fly into on bottom and perhaps less up top. Also cropping some from the sides. Love these abstract looks.
I’m excited to see another one of these gull images from you, Canan. This image has a bit more color than the ones you shared previously. I like that variety when working on a series like this.
I know you are really enjoying the technique, and I wonder if you have thought about what mood it communicates, what you might entitle it, etc. You know the “what else is it about?” question. I’m eager to see more of these and see what ideas emerge from it.
Thank you, Marylynne. I’m going to post a bunch more of these tonight in a multi-image post. I tried to convert this one to black and white but ended up liking the color version more, even though it has minimal color.
I really like your thought-provoking questions! The images are very diverse & they communicate different moods–I think the main thing they have in common is that they seem to be about conveying the essence of motion. And some of them have very interesting abstract forms, so that is what else they are also about. Beyond that, I think the viewer has to put their own interpretation on the images.
As for me and my experience of taking the pictures, I really like the element of chance with these images and the possibility of being surprised by how they turn out. I strongly prefer order and predictability in my life, so I don’t know what draws me to these kinds of techniques (slow-shutter-speed panning, ICM, multiple exposure, etc.). They must be fulfilling a deep psychological need I also love panning birds in general (with fast or slow shutter speeds) because I feel like, for a few seconds at least, I’m at one with them and flying alongside them. I’ll think more about your questions as I continue with these sorts of images–thanks for asking them!
Thank you very much for the feedback, Allen. I totally agree with cropping from the sides. I will have to decide whether I want to add more fake space at the bottom or not. I agree that it would have been good, but there’s no chance of composing when I’m just desparately trying to track the birds!
Thank you very much, Diane It’s very funny, but I made the same suggestion about cropping from the sides to another photographer on this site on a similar bird picture, right after I posted my picture. How blind we are to our own shortcomings!
As for the space at the bottom, I’ll have to make a decision about whether to add more fake space or not. More space at the bottom would have been nice, but there’s no possibility of composing when I’m just desperately trying to keep up with the bird. On the plus side, not having enough space at the bottom is unusual & could generate its own story in the viewer’s mind…
And thank you very much for the encouragement–I’ll post a bunch more images like this in a multi-image post tonight.
