The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
Being at Mono Lake at sunrise, especially with beautiful skies, is spectacular. The Ospreys were plentiful on my most recent visit. The fledglings were almost full grown and were flying to and from their nests quite a bit. It was amazing to see so many huge nests sitting atop the tufas. Really a beautiful sight. I captured this shot as one of the Osprey was returning to its nest shortly after the sun came up.
Specific Feedback
I would be grateful for any and all feedback. I sometimes have a hard time evaluating my own photos, specifically, do I love it because of how I felt when taking it or, is it a good photo.
Technical Details
Shot with my Nikon Z6ii and Nikon 100-400 lens at 230mm
f8
1/1000
ISO 500
Edited in Photoshop Camera Raw and Photoshop CC
I know this nest, and it’s not easy to get close enough or a good angle. You threaded the needle well and got good action in good light. The BG is soft and pleasing.
I wonder if you got more frames as she approached? This one is a good story but a few seconds later would have been good too.
Beautiful frame and I like the placement of Osprey in the frame !
I believe sky can look more dramatic with some post processing. Somehow focus appears to be on the nest than Osprey.
PS. This image belongs to Avian Critiques, so shifting it there.
Hi Donna, Great story this is telling and nice that you got the nest amongst the rocks in this environment - interesting to see (I’m used to seeing osprey nests on cypress trees where I live). Nice approach on the osprey. Wish the focus had been more on the bird than the nest though. Still, a fine story well presented.
Interesting, Donna. I like both images and the B&W seems to subdue the effect of the out of focus foreground tufa on the left. I tend to like the position of the osprey in the original post more as it seems to balance the image a bit better. For a location like this, you might try taking multiple shots of the environs that have different parts in focus so you can combine them in post processing to help reduce the effect of the out of focus foreground. It would probably be best to do it immediately after the bird arrived so the shadows match up. Like Allen, I’ve never seen osprey nests on something like this, but I have seen them built on top of a channel buoy in Florida and I’ve heard of them being built on a beach on an island in New York.
I prefer the color version – there is no apparent reason to present a B/W for a “standard” nature shot. For me, B/W best serves images with a strong graphic or dramatic composition or an abstract subject. Excellent advice from @Dennis. If you are on a tripod it’s easy to shoot several focus points to combine in PS.
The first shot also has a more pleasing wing position. Burst mode is a wonderful tool for being able to choose between wing positions, and even 20 fps is limiting. The newer bodies with 30 fps are better. (Along with a large, fast card – and computer!)
I wonder if you have any with the bird closer to the nest. I’m surprised to see it so small compared to the nest, although the nests can be pretty big. The proportion looks better in your earlier post of the other nest. Just something to think about in the future.
