The Captain

Image Critiques Avian Critiques
1

-20230912-_A1_1771-Nisqually-ARW.jpg
-20230912-_A1_1771-Nisqually-ARW.jpg2048×1325 1.53 MB

Critique Style Requested: Standard

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

Description

For some reason this heron perched in an old snag reminded me of the old idea of a captain staying on his ship as is sinks.

Specific Feedback

The blue of the water felt wrong to me in the raw file so I did quite a bit of adjustment, mostly just changing temperature in LR. Does it look right?

Technical Details

Sony A1, FE 200-600 + 1.4 TC @ 823 mm, monopod, f/9, 1/6400, iso 3200 (forgot to change it when I came out of the woods). Noise reduction with DxO PureRaw 4, processed in LR. Straightened and cropped to 6727x4353. Taken September 12th at 2:10 p.m. (lunch with friends and an after lunch walk at a local wildlife refuge).

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1 Like
2

Nice, sharp GBH well-framed in a beautiful snag with moss and mollusks. The heron’s position is perfect, (ie your perspective was perfect) and I love the blowing chest feathers. Your DOF produced a nice gradient to the water.
Sweet!

3

Hi Dennis
I love Blues, they have great expressions and this one does not look like a happy camper. Nice work.
Peter

4

The water looks natural to me. The heron standing in the snag makes for an attractive image. Nice capture.

5

Wonderful capture!! And a great thought about the sinking ship. The water color looks fine to me. The old wood and the bird may be a tad too neutral, which is OK from an artistic standpoint to emphasize the bleakness of the scene. One idea is to go back to the WB and see if there is a bit more color detail in the wood and bird, and if the water still looks off have a look at the Color Mixer sliders (if you didn’t), or a Selective Color adj layer in PS.