Black Necked Stilts... Your Thought On The Composition Appreciated

[jprzybyla]

When I shot these it was an overcast morning, very still air. When I first looked at them they appeared flat and the white balance had turned the water a grey featureless color. In post processing I tried to show the subtle reflection of the overcast sky on the water and enhance the ripples around the bird's legs. I placed the bird and the reflection of the bird respectively on the on third line in each image. Do you like what I have done? Does it work as a pleasant compostion? Does the subtleness of the reflected sky enhance the image? C&C welcomed and appreciated. Thank you for viewing.

#1



#2

[redrew]

Outstanding Joe, I particularly like the composition of the first image emphasizing this bird's environment, almost surrealistic and telling the story of movement.

[Teton Chuck]

Joe, very nice images. Brings back memories of when I lived on the coast of California. Your work with the reflected sky works for me. In the first image I like the wake that is left behind the bird, but it seems a bit long to me. I tried using papers to mask the image and play with the crop. Would it work to take some off of the right side of the first image and a bit off the bottom?

The second image is my favorite. Just enough disturbance in the water to make it interesting. Thanks for sharing.

chuck

[Geoff F]

Chuck has said exactly what I was thinking with the first image.

I would prefer the bird to be central (left to right) or, even better, slightly on the right side of centre.

[jprzybyla]

Outstanding Joe, I particularly like the composition of the first image emphasizing this bird's environment, almost surrealistic and telling the story of movement.

Hi Rollin, I appreciate your kind words. Thank you for viewing.

[jprzybyla]

Joe, very nice images. Brings back memories of when I lived on the coast of California. Your work with the reflected sky works for me. In the first image I like the wake that is left behind the bird, but it seems a bit long to me. I tried using papers to mask the image and play with the crop. Would it work to take some off of the right side of the first image and a bit off the bottom?

The second image is my favorite. Just enough disturbance in the water to make it interesting. Thanks for sharing.

chuck

Thank you for your comment Chuck. I know exactly what you write about in the first image regarding cropping it differently. What you describe is what convention would dictate. Actually I had cropped it that way first. Then I looked at the V-shaped wake left behind the bird and I decided to use that to lead the eyes to the bird in a empty image (a lot of negative space). I think that by breaking with the conventional it draws attention that otherwise would be just another average image. Maybe I am wrong but that was my reasoning behind the crop in the first image. Having used Lightroom 4 for the post processing it is easy to change the crop in another version using the Create Virtual Copy command. Thanks again for taking the time to view and comment.

[jprzybyla]

Chuck has said exactly what I was thinking with the first image.

I would prefer the bird to be central (left to right) or, even better, slightly on the right side of centre.

Hi Geoff, thanks for taking the time to view and comment. You, Chuck and I think alike, because the way you describe the crop is how I had done it in the beginning. Then I broke with what would be conventional as I described in my response to Chuck's comment. Thanks again for your comment and thoughts.

[Teton Chuck]

Joe, one of the best things about the world of photography is that you get input from others, but what really counts is what you like. Keep up the good work. I enjoy it.

chuck

[Bobobird]

I like what you have done.

[jprzybyla]

Joe, one of the best things about the world of photography is that you get input from others, but what really counts is what you like. Keep up the good work. I enjoy it.

chuck

Thanks Chuck, much appreciated.

[jprzybyla]

I like what you have done.

Thanks Bobo. Keep shooting my friend.

[Donald]

Maybe I am wrong but that was my reasoning behind the crop in the first image.

The important thing is that there is no 'wrong', there are only views and opinions.

I actually like it because I do think that the 'trail' is a very effective and important part of teh image.

Two very, very good images.

[jprzybyla]

The important thing is that there is no 'wrong', there are only views and opinions.

I actually like it because I do think that the 'trail' is a very effective and important part of teh image.

Two very, very good images.

Thank you Donald, I appreciate you taking time to view and comment.