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Image Description
Taken during the recent winter storm. I was focusing on capturing movement and experimenting with how far I could push in flat, overcast light and blowing snow.
Technical Details
Nikon Z 7II
600mm
1/2500 sec
f/7.1
ISO 900
heavily overcast / cloudy light
handheld
burst capture
Specific Feedback
I’m open to any thoughts, reactions, or observations about the image
Critique Template
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Vision and Purpose:
Conceptual:
Emotional Impact and Mood:
Composition:
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Technical:
I love the wingspread and the red of the Cardinal against the snow, Natalie. I’d prefer the bird in the right half of the frame to give it more room to fly into and it would have been great to catch it a little earlier in its flight path when it wasn’t flying away. Catching small birds early in their flight is a pretty hit an miss (99% miss) proposition in my experience. I can’t count the number of tails I have exiting the frame. One of these days, in the not too distant future, I suspect we’ll be able to turn on a “motion trigger” so all we need to do is get the bird in the frame and when it starts to go the shutter will take 20 or 30 frames.
The composition is unusual but you got a wonderful wingspread! I don’t mind the bird flying out of the frame – they do that! What catches my eye is the sawed-off limb in the UL corner, especially because the bird is looking that way. That would be easy to patch.
My first impression, Natalie, was I really liked the wingspan and the sharpness of the wings. A really nice flight shot. I think the snow adds a lot to the image and lets the cardinal pop. I guess I’m in the camp with more room for the bird to fly into. I could also see a crop from the right.
Hi Natalie, nice wingspread on the flight pose. Good contrasting colors with the bird against the snow. The falling snow is another fine element. Wish the bird was not angled away from us. I could see more room on the left for the bird to move into and less space on the right.
it is so important for the viewer to get a view of the subject’s eye in the frame. It is unfortunate that the head is turned away from the viewer. The spread wings are excellent with captured snow flakes. The BG is busy and simpler backgrounds will always strengthen this type of comp. Overall, you did a good job freezing the motion and keep at it. These are never easy shots to get without careful planning and to a lesser degree, luck! Well done and hope to see more of this type of capture from you.
