The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
The camera hasn’t been in my hand constantly as it usually is, but occasionally I get something that’s fun. This little guy certainly is. He’s much more shy than the females and harder to photograph as a result. Even harder to get that flashy throat to show, but this one frame came out and he seems especially cheeky, challenging me to take his picture before he zips off; which he promptly did. I do believe he is a dad, however, since there seems to be a juvenile around now, too.
Specific Feedback
Is the wing position too icky? You know how it is with these guys, sometimes we have to take what we can get. Also the flowers are bright and red so they somewhat compete with his redness. The thing is, they love them and so I plant them every year.
Most of the heavy lifting done in Lightroom with a crop and adjustments to tonalities and saturation. Raised the shadows quite a bit and used denoise as well as adding sharpness & texture. Ps for some clean up.
Critique Template
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Motion blur is OK and lighting is perfect. The red throat shows up quite well and is very difficult to get. The males, like this guy are always battling with offspring and other adult hummingbirds so they are always on the move. The image is fine as presented…Jim
Very nice! This guy must be the top dog, with that gorget! A wonderful match with the flowers. Excellent focus and detail and wonderful “set” and BG. The wing doesn’t bother me – the bit of recursive curl at the end makes clear that it is bent back. Hummers have a high rate of deletes with strange-looking wings.
I’d be tempted to reduce the brighter stem near the bottom. Bend its color more to green, maybe.
Kris: Oh this is fine! The clarity and sharpness of the head and breast carry the day for sure and the salvia is the perfect bait for him. Most excellent. >=))>
Thanks to @Jim_Zablotny, @David_Bostock, @Diane_Miller, @Paul_Breitkreuz, @Bill_Fach & @David_Schoen for all your feedback and nice words. I’ve been a bit absent here and feel slightly silly posting a shot from months ago when I could have put it up then. Feeling the photography urge slowly coming back and you guys have helped that process.
Man, oh man. I am a fan of shooting hummers and know how tricky it can be. All the stars were aligned when you got this pose. Did you look at removing some from the bottom making it a horizontal crop as opposed to a square? some from the bottom, and a little off of the right edge? Just a thought.
While the wing position might not be “ideal”, it looks fine to me, Kris. Detail in the hummingbird is wonderful and you certainly caught the light just right on the gorget. A fine image of this little guy.
Hi Kris, really great approach shot with a terrific view of the gorget. I think the wing position is fine especially given the angle of the bird to us. Colors look good to me. Well done.
Thanks @Dave_Douglass, @Dennis_Plank & @Allen_Sparks for also chiming in so positively. It’s getting later in the season and we won’t have the hummies around for much longer. Already I think this male has vamoosed with the females and young ones to follow. Makes me a little sad, but I know they will be back next year.
Great capture, Kristen. The wonderful color and detail in the head and gorget makes this one for me. For me the red flowers complement, rather than compete, and adds to the image. The oof background works as well.
