The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
While visiting Chincoteague NWR May 5th, I was photographing the Tri-Color as he fished when all of a sudden the Snowy Egret flew in and things got very interesting. Hard to even get both in the frame at times they were so active.
Specific Feedback
Do you think the composition works? One is facing one way and the other is facing the other way, so I didn’t want to center them. I thought the Snowy up in the air was the main subject, so I gave him more room to move. Unfortunately, I don’t have any extra room at the bottom of the frame after straightening the image. Like I said, it was hard to stay with them they were moving so fast. It sure was fun though!
Technical Details
Canon R5 with Sigma 150-600 mm lens at 215 mm, HH, 1/4000, f6.3, ISO (Auto) 1000. Edited in LR Denoise, white and black adjustments, highlights, things like that plus straightening the image which cropped it some.
Great action capture with good whites from what I can see on my iPhone. I would like to see more at the bottom. Maybe you could salvage a little more at the bottom by using a Distort in PS instead of cropping to level.
With your sensor, don’t hesitate to zoom back to give more room in the frame, especially with action. (And SO easy to say from my comfortable chair at the moment.) You can crop way more than 50% with no penalty and gain a touch more DOF in the bargain.
Great action shot for sure, Shirley. The only time I have ever been able to capture an Egret is when they are stand still. . . very still! I agree with @Diane_Miller, about maybe trying a portrait crop? Very nicely seen and captured.
Hi Shirley. The portrait shot does seem to be an improvement. I agree with Diane that a bit more canvas on the bottom would help and though I usually like a lot of headroom for a vertically moving bird, in this case I might consider cropping from the top all the way down to the water. the reason I suggest that is that this image, to me, is all about the dominance of the Snowy Egret and I think it would make it seem to loom over the other bird more if it were higher in the frame.
What a great shot of these two, the Egret certainly appears to be defending his fishing territory!
I like the way he’s (or she?) lunging into the air to give that extra bit of dominance over the intruder.
I do wonder, is the Egret defending that spot or… stealing it?
Great DOF, exposure, composition and details, Shirley!
Merv, thank you. Yes, the Snowy Egret was in fact stealing the fishing area. I had been taking photos of the Tri-color fishing when all of a sudden, in comes Snowy!
Oops, I guess if I had done a better job of reading your description I would have already known the answer to that, I think maybe I misinterpreted the title, thinking that the fishing area was the egret’s
Of course bullies always claim any territory as ‘theirs’ no matter what!
Hi Shirley
You just hove to love Snowy, they are always up for show. As for the framing, I like the second shot, with a better view of the environment . Nice photograph.
Peter
