Critique Style Requested: Standard
The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
A Spotted Owlet peering out from the tree hollow.
Canon R5, Canon 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1 IS Lens.
Location - Jawai, Rajasthan (India)
1/1250 sec, f/7.1, IS0-400
Sandipan: Wow! This is an excellent image. The negative space serves to emphasize the tree trunk and the owlet. The bright tone of the owlet in contrast to the darkness of the tree trunk draws the eye immediately to it. The image is wonderfully composed.
I think it’s an interesting scene with a lot of potential, but to maximize that I have two suggestions. First, this screams “vertical crop” to me. The curve of the trunk is great, and will be emphasized much better in a vertical composition. All that empty space on the left doesn’t do you any favors and draws the focus away from your primary subject and its home. Second, it appears to me that the owl has been lightened too much (with some selective processing or dodging?). It’s glaring, and looks a bit unnatural on my screen… plus, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with having it be a bit more subtle. After all, it is hiding. 
Basically, a pretty cool image. I like the curve of the tree and you have a nice look at the owl in its environment. I’d probably play around with Max’s suggestions and see what you think.
Hi Sandipan, very cool capture. Love the owlet peering out from the tree hole. I can’t tell on my monitor if the face on the owl was enhanced or not. It does stand out pretty starkly from the tree. I think cropping from the left would be something good to check out and perhaps taking out the lone hanging branch on the right. Really interesting image.
I think this is a super cool image. That owlet sure pops out from that darker trunk. I see what you were going for with the landscape composition with the two dangling branches on either side of the trunk but I agree with @Max_Waugh about this screaming to be a portrait composition rather than a landscape. The tree trunk is one of the most interesting aspects of this image with it’s colors, the twist and of course those “red wings” that pop out just below the opening for the nest site. It’s like the trunk is alive.
Judging by your specs, this doesn’t appear to be taken in low light conditions so I would probably raise the exposure a bit globally and reduce the whites on the owlet. Just a suggestion though. I like the image quite a lot.
Really a kind of image that appeals to me, the small owl in the large frame and the tree as beacon. We’ll see, and executed ! Cheers, Hans
Hi All, Many thanks for your feedback. Reprocessed the image with the suggestions - which I am posting here. There are two versions of vertical crop. I wanted to retain the complete shape of the tree trunk and an off-center placement of the owlet. Hence, in the 2nd version, I cropped it from the left.
That said, my personal creative preference is the original image I posted initially - wherein the owlet is occupying a very small part of the overall frame, and two hanging branches at both corners are framing it nicely. While processing the image which I posted initially, I actually reduced the luminosity of the sky and the tree trunk a bit, so that the owlet stands out.
I am extremely grateful that all of you are taking your time and providing immensely valuable feedback. Glad to be part of NPN community.
I meant to chime in here earlier – I rarely like negative space but have to say I find the crop of the OP very compelling! It emphasizes the very interesting shape of the tree, which is leaning away from the negative space, and the two branches are so well placed. I do prefer the lighter tonalities of the tree in the last two.
The colors in the tree are very interesting but I think this could also be wonderful in B/W. I’m on the fence about the brightness of the owl. A wonderful find and presentation in any case!!
I like your second recrop, as the dangling vine echoes the contour of the tree.
Diane’s suggestion of a black and white conversion is intriguing. There are definitely possibilities there.
Love this image! Even tho the owl is small in the photograph, it just pops against that tree. A lovely image that i would have enlarged on maybe a metal print and hanging in my home! Bravo!
