The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
A golden sunset faded rapidly on this lagoon, and one hippo gave a marvelous yawn just at the final moment of rose-gold light. I’ve seen hippos do this on a number of occasions, so I was watching for it. Only they know what’s in their mind of course, but it seems to me that the timing is almost like laying awake in bed, just waiting for the alarm clock to go off. At any rate, I was pleased to catch the final light and the silhouettes of the hippo pod.
Specific Feedback
I’m happy to receive any feedback you might offer.
Technical Details
Sunset, Canon 5D Mk IV, EF 500mm, f/4.0, 1/400th, ISO 12800, 5EV. Processed with Topaz AI (Denoise - RAW and Sharpen) and Lightroom.
Nice low POV and wonderful water colors in this sunset Michael. I like the silhouette effect on the hippos’ backs. The top seems just a bit heavy so you might want to try a small crop off the top.
Michael: I really like the near silhouette of the yawning hippo which is clearly outlined against the water. The rose colored light has been well captured. My only minor suggestion would be to consider dodging the upper most background just a bit.
Thank you Richard. I’ll be away from my photo computer for the next week, but I’ll try your suggestion when I get back. Best regards from a big admirer of your work! - MET
I really like the yawn and the sunset color reflected on the water, Michael. I also like Ed’s suggestion for taking some off the top. Even though it would lose some of the reflection, I could see cropping in from the left as well as the only thing going on there is the reflection.
Hi Dennis, thank you for the feedback. I actually do have a copy of this that I did crop some of the left off side. In most regards, I think it’s an improved image – because it brings the yawning bull front-and-center, and leaves no doubt about the subject. But I still haven’t quite decided on it, because it does lose some of the color on the water, and it does take away from the presence of the lounging pod. The image becomes really about just one hippo. (As I said, though, my gut tells me it’s a better composition – just not quite what I envisioned.) When I get back home next week, I’ll follow your suggestion and see how it works for me anew. Best regards and with much appreciation – MET
Michael, I’m glad that you achieved some separation from that bank in the background. What a pity it would have been to lose the hippo’s snout (and those bristles) during this moment.
I agree with Ed about the top being heavy, and it fact I’d probably tighten up the horizontal crop as well… the extra patch of grass in the water adds a separate distracting shape to the frame, and you don’t lose anything crucial by eliminating that part of the image anyway.
Hi Max, thank you for your feedback. I’ll follow up when I’m back home this weekend, and re-post the image with changes suggested by you, Ed, Richard, and Dennis. Stay tuned…
