Reflective Goose (cheating) + Repost + Repost 2

Image Critiques Avian Critiques
1

Repost 2 with boundary subdued a bit:

-20230330-_A1_9167-McLane Creek-Edit-Edit-Edit
-20230330-_A1_9167-McLane Creek-Edit-Edit-Edit2048×1421 627 KB

Repost with Wave added:

-20230330-_A1_9167-McLane Creek-Edit-Edit
-20230330-_A1_9167-McLane Creek-Edit-Edit2048×1421 628 KB

Original:

-20230330-_A1_9167-McLane Creek-Edit.jpg
-20230330-_A1_9167-McLane Creek-Edit.jpg2048×1421 644 KB

Critique Style Requested: Standard

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

Description

This is another from March 30th at the local pond. When I first arrived and looked through my viewfinder there were some nice out of focus reflections, so I took half a dozen shots thinking they might make interesting abstracts or backgrounds. A little later I shot several images of this goose as it swam through a bunch of last years bedraggled lily pads. I liked the head turn and there was a mostly nice reflection, but the background was horrible. I decided to play with taking one of those first shots and replacing the background. Then I got carried away, eliminated the natural reflection, copied and flipped the goose and cleaned up the junction between them.

Specific Feedback

Just curious as to whether this looks natural. I wouldn’t pass it off as such, but it was a fun exercise.

Technical Details

Sony A1, FE 200-600 + 1.4 TC @ 815 mm, monopod, f/9, 1/2000, iso 4000, manual exposure. The background had a few really dark spots in it, so I did some cloning and a curves adjustment to get the look I wanted on it. After copying and flipping the goose, I burned the flipped version a bit and blurred it a trifle. A little cleanup of the selection boundaries and junction between the goose and it’s “reflection” and a crop pretty much did it.

2

It looks to me you did a very good job with the inversion; it looks natural and the goose shows excellent detail. The background, though, doesn’t seem quite right. It seems somehow disconnected from the goose. It has an abstracted, ICM feel to it and tends to draw my eye and takes away from the pleasantness of the goose gliding through the water.

3

Pretty creative use of the tools in Photoshop. Can you add ripples to the “reflection”? I’ve never tried such a thing so I’m curious. You’ve achieved a storybook illustration feel with this one - a bit too perfect to be real, but definitely beautiful.

4

I don’t know if you could create ripples. Maybe some application of the [Distort/Ripple] filter? Now I’ll have to play with it.

5

Hi Dennis, I like both versions and the surrounding water looks natural with the goose although I notice the transition edge from goose to reflection is rather stark. I’m wondering if running the blur tool along that edge would create a smoother transition. Nice pose on the goose you caught and I like the head turn looking toward us.