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’ve only seen the fox three nights, and didn’t get great poses in any but the first one (previously posted). But the skunk has shown up most nights – free food! Getting a decent pose has been rare, though.
Feedback Requested
All comments welcome!
Technical Details
Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mark IV
Lens: 28mm F1.4 DG HSM | Art 019
Focal length: 28mm
Shutter speed: 1/640s
Aperture: f/8
ISO: 1600
I’m underexposing to keep the SS up a little, so increasing Exposure in LR, Highlights down and Shadows up a little. Into PS for a crop (about 40-50%), some minor border patrol and a FG burn.
I am assuming that skunks would be more nocturnal and feel your image could be a little bright. His/her whites are very white and not sure how clean the white would be. In my play version, I’ve masked and taken down the highlights and added more black to his/her face. A radial gradient around the head and a couple of diagonal linear gradients…which may have darkened the background too much?
I have no idea how skunks operate, but wonder if you suspended a treat (bait) to make it raise its head and maybe front paws to investigate. I “farm” wood cockroaches and meal worms to feed the birds and I bet this little critter would love them.
Another very nice image of your pet, Diane. I do like the direction @Glenys_Passier went in her edits as I do think it better represents a nocturnal critter.
Thanks, @Glenys_Passier and @Dennis_Plank ! Glennie, your revision is SO spot-on! I’m always trying to bring out too much detail in blacks – probably some psychological thing from multiple failures to do good portraits of two beloved black cats over the years. Skunks are totally nocturnal and my exposures are low to start with – I’ve been punching them too far. I’ll do a revision and try to do better on future posts. I have given up on half-burying a can of Fancy Feast and now trying hanging dog biscuits from a convenient limb. Some humorous pictures coming. They don’t jump but have good reflexes.
[Crop] Eliminates distracting empty space and dark patches.
(Trying the crop critique tool here for the first time… hoping it works.)
Diane, I think you can tighten this up. Leaving the skunk centered in this case does the scene a disservice. The foreground doesn’t add anything, and yanks our attention away from the other bolder elements in the scene. Why not play the skunk and the bright green tree off each other by creating a more logical diagonal line between them through the frame. Similarly, cropping tighter removes some of the empty dark space from the right side, and also removes the black patch in the leaves below AND that one small sliver of black in the upper left corner.
I really like the pose and lighting, especially since these guys are pretty nocturnal. The unkempt tail makes me think it was a rough night! I think I prefer the image as is with more space around the skunk, only to show more of the environment. Super image!
Thanks, @Karl_Zuzarte , @Glenys_Passier , @Han_Schutten , @Max_Waugh and @Keith_Flood ! The crop ideas and the re-lighting definitely have me thinking about old habits (and one of them is not thinking…) I’ll post a revision in a few minutes if I don’t get interrupted. Keith, if it’s the same one each time (likely, I suspect), it always has a changing assortment of grass burs as it comes and goes several times most nights, but they have usually been cleaned up by the next night. I’ve read that they are assiduous groomers but are not as flexible as cats so can’t reach some places.
