The photographer is looking for thoughtful feedback on the image as a whole, especially around the areas noted below.
Feedback Focus: Artistic + Technical
About This Image
I’m posting this mainly as a bird not often seen, or one I don’t recall being posted on NPN- the orange bill is different from other common gulls. Taken while on a ferry ride between Port Townsend, Washington and Whidbey Island. I like the bird in the background as I don’t particularly care for bird in flight shots with only the bird and a monotonous background. I think it also adds some context/sense of environment and reminds me of the feel of seeing a lot of birds on the water during the trip.
Nice catch, Allen. I think I may have seen a few of these, but I’ve never been very good at gulls and I know it hasn’t been frequently. That dark gray is pretty distinctive for the local gulls. I agree about leaving the background bird in the image.
Allen, I don’t recall ever seeing a Heermann’s Gull, much less photographing one, and I live on the Pacific Coast! I agree that the OOF background bird gives a sense of place and environment vs stand alone bird in flight. I also really like the downturned wings and crispness of the Heermann’s Gull!
I took the liberty to offer another crop alternative to add more focus on the subject and lessen the negative space on the left side of the image. I also masked the gull and brought the whites up just a tad and added a smidge of saturation to make the orange bill stand out a bit more. My version may be a little too intimate and less environmental than the original. I think both work in different ways. Good for you to be on your game to capture this while riding the ferry! Well done!
Nice catch Allen. Fine sharpness and exposure on the bird and I like the wing position. A bird I have never seen.
I took another shot at a tighter crop with a bit more room in front:
Thanks @Dennis_Plank , @Keith_Flood , @Huw_Thomas , and @Allen_Sparks for your comments and suggestions. For me, the original crop conveys the feeling of being on the open water and seeing these birds fly by.
I prefer the original. Why? It does better “(convey) the feeling of being on the open water and seeing (them) fly.” The background bird: As you note, it provides context in an otherwise drab background.I have seen Heermanns Gulls on the Long Beach Peninsula, including a few in breeding plumage which is quite striking. (Gray body with white head).
A bird I’m not likely to see, so always a treat. The gull is beautifully sharp and giving a nice wing position.
I like the OP crop. I might consider reducing the shadow of the OOF bird just a tad. I might also remove the darker splotches of darker water. Just thoughts. Not nits.
