The photographer is looking for thoughtful feedback on the image as a whole, especially around the areas noted below.
Feedback Focus: Artistic / Expressive
About This Image
This image was taken in Brazil when my wife and I went to photograph Jaguars in the Pantanal a couple of weeks ago. For more information on the trip, see my last post in Wildlife.
this Tiger Heron was walking the shore as we approached on our boat at a very slow pace hoping to get a good posing shot of it when all of a sudden it stabbed down onto something and came up with a snake wrapped around it’s beak. The whole thing lasted about 1 second and I only got 7 shots, 5 of which I’m sharing with you.
The heron dropped the snake and flew away only to have a black hawk fly in and look for the snake which had fled the scene before the hawk could grab it. Part of a great morning. After Coco herons the Tiger Heron is the most common bird in the region where we were. They were everywhere.
Feedback Requested
This is not the tidiest of scenes and I’m wondering if I should spend some time trying to clone out various branches and leaves or just let it be.
Technical Details
Camera: Z9
Lens: 400mm f/2.8 with built in teleconverter
Focal length: 560mm with the teleconverter engaged
Shutter speed: 1/2500
Aperture: f/4
ISO: 3200
Flash: none
Hi David. Since you don’t have a definitive starting or ending frame that defines the situation a little better, I think I’d look at a single frame, such as “Additional Image 1” as a stand alone image and let people wonder how it came out or who attacked whom. Concentrating on the single frame, if you’re so inclined, I think some cleanup would be a nice option.
Hi David, what a moment in nature to capture and witness! Techs look great as evidenced by the fine captures - nice light exposure and sharp action. Well done!
I think this works well as a series but I agree with Dennis that picking one for clean up to highlight would be a good idea.
Oh! Hells Bells! I didn’t even notice "various branches and leaves…"in the images. I was so caught up with the action.
There are all wonderful. I agree with @Allen_Sparks . Everyhting has come together here; good techs, light and sharp where it needs to be. It woud be hard to pick just one, but I would also limit any “cleaning up” that you thought necessary.
I agree with Dennis that a single shot could tell the story (with your description of the ending) - I’ll stick my neck out (like the heron!) and choose the second shot. You could easily remove the leaf above the beak (and maybe even its stalk) so the pair would stand out even more. I chose this because there almost seems to be eye contact between the two combatants. I might even crop a bit off the top too - just my 2 cents about excellent images!
Of the images I like #3 the best if only you could see the tip of the beak. With that said #2 is the winner in this set. It was an amazing capture considering you only had moment to capture what you did. Looks like an amazing experience, congratulations on getting this series!
David, it’s an amazing series…what a neat experience and some fine captures. If choosing a single view, I’d vote for 1 or 3. 1 shows the snake’s head, while 3 shows the wrapping action and the struggle. I think the action is strong enough and sharp enough that you don’t need “clean up”.
Outstanding action sequence, David. I think the sequence does tell a story of the initial attack and finally the snake getting away. The detail in the heron is excellent as is the lighting. Not sure much cleanup is necessary. For me, the second is interesting given both the twisted neck and snake.
It looks like the clear favorite seems to be the second image OR Additional Image 1. Since it’s not clear if I should clean up the image or images I will leave them alone and think on it. I’m getting to the point where inclusion of all the good stuff AND the bad stuff means more to me unless there is an obvious distraction that takes away from the image. For a time, I was cloning out every little object that wasn’t clean and pure and tidy and sometime it sterilizes the image to a degree.
Allen_Sparks
(Allen Sparks)
selected this as an Editor's Pick
13
An incredible wildlife moment captured so well with the snake wrapped around the bird’s beak.
No idea how I missed this one earlier but I’m glad I saw it now – all the frames are just wonderful, and the action is fantastic!!! No need for cleanup in my opinion. And congratulations on the EP!! Very well-deserved!
