The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
I have found a quiet place to sit below a weir, on a man-made lake. It’s surprising how many water birds use this noisy place among people and dogs and machinery. Somehow, some manage to raise young and continue to live out their lives here.
I often go shooting with a good friend. She is in the game of “wildlife rescue”. Most days we go out we end up rescuing a bird or a lizard or some other critter. I saw what appeared to be fishing line out of this birds’ bill. Fortunately, it turned out to be a long strand of algae.
Specific Feedback
Normally, I search for birds in natural bush land, or at least have a natural setting.
Normally, I would try and soften or tame the background, but I thought this image might be alright for this Weekly Challenge. I hope the background is not overpowering the subject?
Technical Details
1/400 f7.1 ISO 1600 150-600@600mm Hand Held
Basic adjustments in ACR and a bit of colour balance in PS.
The moment is caught well and the low perspective avoids a busy foreground. But I am distracted by the pillar in the background. May be desaturation can help.
I’m ambivalent about the bright vertical structure in the background, Glennie. In some ways I like it for making the urban habitat obvious and leading directly to the head of the bird, in others it is a bit overpowering As @armin noted. A bit of desaturation in that area and maybe some decrease in exposure would still leave it as an obvious structure without quite so much distracting power.
A gorgeous job on the cormorant and I thought fishing line as well when I saw it. Glad it was just algae.
Nice catch Glenys with fine details on the bird and intriguing action captured including the splashing water. Agree about a slight taming of the pillar and I like Diane’s repost from a totally natural-looking perspective.
Thank you @Diane_Miller for taking the time to play. I must admit I got lazy with this one, because of the Weekly Challenge theme. I’ll have a crack at something similar to yours.
Glennie, the action catch looks very good and the details in the bird are great. I too was thinking fishing line, so it good knowing that it’s just string algae. The flying water drops are a fine extra. I too would suggest some desaturation and burning in of the pillar and it’s reflection. That will leave it clear that there are human structures around. Diane’s fix leaves the reflection looking out of place with nothing to cause it.
