The photographer is looking for thoughtful feedback on the image as a whole, especially around the areas noted below.
Feedback Focus: Artistic + Technical
About This Image
I’m guilty of mostly ignoring the common birds on my neighborhood lake but I took notice when this mallard took off with her wings beating on the water as she flew towards the sun. I do like to sometimes try a little different take on these common subjects.
Feedback Requested
What do you think of the effect of these images. Would these be a keeper for you?
Any comments appreciated.
Allen: Oh I’ll take one of each please! What marvelous shots. I do think I prefer the original with the wingtip just grazing the water. These are two that go against having more room for the bird to fly into. For me the trailing wake is icing on a fantastic cake. Many hat tips to you.>=))>
I’m with Bill on the two points. I prefer the first with the timing of the wings just (almost?) tapping the water on take off. Awesome timing. Then also, the classic composition “rule” of having more room in front for the subject to “move in to,” - gets tossed out the window with the capture of the foot-pedal take off and wake. The wake is so important in the overall composition.
Also, I find the angle of the vertical lines reflecting in the water to really help emphazie the motion going forward. So very cool.
So yeah, keep on with the common subjects… But does that also mean I can mostly ignore the common house Finches that dominates my feeder? LOL
Allen, I’ll be the odd person and say that I slightly prefer #2 with her lifted wings glowing so nicely. Both are fine shots with the trailing wake in both telling the story of how she takes off. I’m assuming that from the strongly angled tree reflections, she was taking off at an angle away from you, which makes getting both her and her wake sharp challenging.
I like everything about these two photographs. If I had to pick between the two, the upper one would be my favorite; the wings just touching the water.
These aren’t just keepers, Allen, these are high art. I would love to have either of them in my portfolio. The lighting and composition are superb. If I had to choose, and this is strictly personal taste, I’d go with the first, but both are excellent.
Hello Allen, needless to say I love these 2 pictures. As most of us, with a slight preference for the first one. Thanks to the mallards in our lives. So often neglected. So often -luckily - vindicated by those of us who look for movement, color and light. Thank you for sharing (and for all your very thoughtful and useful comments on so many images here, including mine). Xavier
Great flight shots, Allen. My preference would be the first one. I like the wingtips just over the water and the purple speculum. I also think the reflection is nicer in the first one. Excellent lighting as well.
Two very fine images, but I prefer the first. I also like the reflection in image 1 more than in image 2. As has been said, the trailing wake is what makes the images.
About common birds: I think that mallards are very beautiful birds. That they are so common makes us forget that sometimes. They are very common as birds in city ponds and canals as well, in my region. “Tame” ducks, dependent animals. But still beautiful birds. Maybe an image of a rare species makes us think that more effort has been put in making that image, but that says nothing about the aesthetic quality of the image.
to you.>=))>