The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
A very low tide left the mud flats exposed and the remaining water very shallow. I slogged through the muck to get closer to the water . I crouched down and set the camera lens on my left palm and set the back of my hand on the mud to get as low as I could with my camera.
Specific Feedback
All comments welcomed.
Technical Details
1/1000 at F9, ISO 12800, 200-600mm with 1.4 Teleconverter, 840mm, Sony A1
I used lightroom to edit. I have heard of “Painterly”, and I assume that is an editing style or program. I can only assume the “dreamy” background in this photo was because my lens was so low. I did lower the contrast on the background and lowered the clarity and the texture. The mangroves were about a mile away and the water had a breeze on it causing tiny waves. I would love to be able to say I planned it, by it was really just a surprise when I was reviewing my shots.
Very nice, Kathryn. All your efforts to get the camera low paid off. I love the way the heron seems to be almost floating. Nice pose with good eye contact. The background works nicely with the color of the bird.
Wonderful!! Such great detail in the bird and gorgeous color. Getting low paid off – like @Dennis_Plank said – the bird seems to be floating! The detail in the BG is beautifully painterly! I wonder about cropping off the lighter area at the bottom,or darkening it to make it essentially disappear. I would think it’s OK if it blended into the water more, but the abruptness catches my attention. Very small nit, though!
Hi Kathryn, lovely painterly effect overall in this image and as the others have said the low perspective is great. Agree with Diane on cropping some from the bottom even that is minor. Feather detail on the bird seems soft which is fine for the overly painterly effect if that was what you were after.
I love your repost Kathryn! Thanks for posting the new one in the original thread so I can flip back and forth easily. Kudos for going the extra mile in the field for such a fantastic photo! The bird is beautifully exposed and the colors are so complimentary. Really well executed. Brava!
I love the repost with the heron lower down in the frame. It really works well. “Painterly” is a very loose term that you’ll see used on this site to indicate a certain feel that some images give. It can be quite varied, but in general I use it when I think the image resembles something that a painter might come up with. Usually it implies broader brush strokes on the background at least and sometimes even less definition in the subject. But it’s always an accolade-not a criticism.
Lovely colors and subject, Kathryn, and I like both versions as they both have their charm. Lying as flat as one can is my preferred position as well for shooting. As you shot with high ISO’s, I assume you did some noise reduction which may have cause the loss in feather detail? Otherwise fine as presented! cheers, Hans
