The photographer has shared comprehensive information about their intent and creative vision for this image. Please examine the details and offer feedback on how they can most effectively realize their vision.
Self Critique
Successful aspects: this is a story-telling image, if you know what’s been going on at the rookery. I also like the diagonal line created by the heron’s wing’s and the framing of the eagle & its ferocious look.
What could be improved: it’s a busy scene, and I’m not sure if the eagle is too small to be impactful. And the image is not as sharp as I would wish.
Creative direction
There is all sorts of avian drama going on at the rookery, and I wanted this image to convey at least one aspect of that drama.
Specific Feedback
I’d appreciate any feedback, but I’m especially curious to see if you think this image is too busy and what I can do about it. I already did heavy cropping of the scene, added some vignetting, and “burned” some of the bright branches.
Technical Details
Fuji X-T5
Fuji 150-600 mm lens at 179 mm
1/2000 sec; f/6.4; ISO 320
Processing: DxO Photolab, Topaz AI for a little sharpening, Nik Color Efex and Viveza, Photoshop
Description
First it was the blue herons’ rookery. Over time, the egrets and cormorants started to move in. This year, there’s also an eagle’s nest for the first time.
The cormorants are slowly taking over the whole rookery, but their poop is destroying the vegetation and may put an end to the whole affair. But the eagles are eating the cormorants’ eggs and babies. So nobody knows what will happen next. It’s a bird-eat-bird world out there.
Hi Canan, this image does make you wonder what is going on here. Why would a great blue be flying towards an eagle nest? As far as storytelling, I think it would be stronger with a series of images showing the encounter. Still this is an interesting image of life in the rookery. As far as branches that is typically par for the course when it comes to photographing in rookeries and it’s nice that I can clearly see the eagle’s head.
Hi Canan. I would agree with Allen Sparks that a series would have helped tell the story, as it’s not clear what the heron is going to do (of course, that could be for the viewer to decide or wonder about). I do wonder how it’s going to get through all those branches. I don’t mind the busyness as it speaks to the environment. I like the look on the eagle’s face, which I think does convey his thoughts on the incoming heron.
Thanks for the feedback, Allen. There were heron, egret, and cormorant nests all over the trees in this rookery, and birds were flying all over. So I don’t know if the blue heron was flying toward the eagle nest in particular or in the general direction of the nests (I think the compression with the telephoto lens makes it look like it was flying toward the eagle). But I thought it illustrated the idea of an eagle intruding in what was once the blue heron’s rookery. Unfortunately, I only have this image for this particular encounter. I appreciate the feedback
Thanks, Allen Brooks. I agree about the desirability of a series, but unfortunately, I only have this one picture. I’ll pay more attention to this next time I go there, so thanks for making me think about this. I think the compression of the supertelephoto lens made it look like it was closer to the eagle than it really was. Thanks!
It is an interesting image, Canan, and the business doesn’t bother me. As one image in a series of the rookery, it could be quite successful if you have enough other images of nests with various species in them. I’ve never seen a rookery with an eagle’s nest included, so that does make this different and raise all kinds of potential conflict issues.
