Me Three

Image Critiques Abstract Nature Critiques
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Critique Style Requested: Standard

The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.

Description

I was inspired to post these thanks to Diane and David’s posts; hence “Me Three”. I never felt like these were good enough to post, but with a bit of needling in ACR/PS, I thought I would share. I’m posting both just because I think 2 is better than 1… LOL.

These are not ICM’s per se, although panning a camera on a moving subject is still camera movement, right? Although both birds in flight obviously, the experience is quite different. The brown pelican is just so graceful and flowing in flight. Most of the time just gliding; effortlessly. A couple of wing flaps to maintain speed and elevation. The commarant on the other hand, almost schizophrenic; wildly flapping wings just to keep their wings above the water; darting in and out from shore gathering kelp, back and forth almost like they’re running against a clock… Keeping these guys in the frame was just random luck!

Specific Feedback

As always, all comments and suggestions welcome.

I feel the commorant image is more abstract. Yes, you can make out that it could be the common commorant, not unlike David’s abstract version of the same bird. The brown pelican on the other hand is much more recognizable and less abstract. But to me they are such a beautiful and graceful bird and I wanted to emphasize the birds colors as well as the shadow cast on the water.

Both were cropped significantly and with many iterations of color, contrast, saturation, etc. etc. I finally settled on these.

I am most curious about your general reaction and impression, but also any feedback on processing, framing, etc.

Thanks!

Technical Details

1st: Nikon Z7ii Z24-200mm @200mm, f/22 @1/15th iso 64. Single frame, panning with flight. Half Moon Bay, CA
2nd: Nikon D800E 28-300mm @250mm, f/11 @ 1/8ths iso800. singe frame, panning with flight. Monterey Bay, Ca

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I may have to dig out my blurry birds here. I had a wild time with a barn owl night before last trying to shoot at 1/10 sec on a monopod. Lots of camera motion in some of those.

I agree with your assessment that the cormorant is the stronger of the two images. The panning created some really nice water in the background and the outline of the bird is more coherent. The pelican has a strong double image feel, particularly around the head, that feels disconcerting to me. The framing and processing look fine in both images for my taste.

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Lon, my general reaction and impression is…fantastic! I really like both of these images. I am drawn more to the brown pelican because of the beautiful and subtle colors that appear, vs. the mostly dark and abstract commarant. But the general look of the blurry birds and the capture of motion is just great.

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Thanks @Dennis_Plank and @Mark_Muller for your comments. Much appreciated.

I agree. Intesting because I was really attracted to the wings of the pelican and thus didn’t really think about the head and the double-exposure sense. But now I get it. In fact, this falls right in to one my own axioms about ICMs and blurred images - this looks more like a “kicked tripod” than an intentional blur; at least where the head is concerned. And the fast shutter speed and slower pan, didn’t result in the water turning very abstract.

Mark, I too love the pelican for its colors and grace of flight. It just doesn’t come across as a strong abstract/blur.

Thanks for the comment and observations!

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I love it Lon! Me three!!! I think the colors of the pelican image and the dreaminess of the water make for a better image although I really like the cormorant image as well. The long shadow created by the pelican works great and I love the wing tips and how elongated they are.
The cormorant has wing tips that feel like they aren’t even attached to the bird as well as the the previous wing position shadow below the bird and the bird is sharper in this one. Maybe a B&W would work better for this one. Not sure. The cormorant feels more abstract to me and I’m not sure I can explain it. Well done with both of them. Glad you posted these, Lon!

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I think both are well worth posting! I think the pelican is a little wonky but the water is lovely and it has such nice colors, and I totally love the reflection, but the cormorant is special. It feels as though it is flying above and below the surface at the same time! (Like your everyday subatomic particles…) I wonder about cropping a little off the top, to leave the darker wave as the top edge. The more pano format seems to fit better with the sense of motion, too.