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Thread: Upon reflection

  1. #1
    Moderator Dave Humphries's Avatar
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    Upon reflection

    Seems to be a lot of birdie pics around lately, I can't think why

    It's nothing special, but the again ...
    http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/dhumph...53193901789090

    Having played around with Iwan's birds on a river in Mom and daughter earlier, I thought I'd better do one of my own.

    Feedback welcome, in particular, composition; I find it difficult to put this sort of shot "on the third's" without lots of plain water, is this an acceptable compromise?

    Thanks,
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    Last edited by Dave Humphries; 25th January 2009 at 11:33 PM. Reason: link in place of missing image

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    Re: Upon reflection

    nice clear bird and good complementary colours between beak and water

    When there is a very strong subject, there is a lot to be said for putting it fairly central; in this case a little higher up as bird and reflection form a whole? But it also seems right to give moving creatures some space to be appear to be moving into as you have here.

    Looking at my birdies, a lot of them end up in a 5x4 or square frame, on the grounds used by judges who say 'there is no extra information' in plainish areas of background
    Last edited by crisscross; 26th January 2009 at 10:23 AM.

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    Moderator Dave Humphries's Avatar
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    Re: Upon reflection

    Thanks Chris,

    I like to think it's that nice, rich (and natural) blue colour in part due to the polariser I had attached and set for the sky - it obviously isn't set to 'kill' the reflection!

    As it happens, I have this shot as my desktop wallpaper at the moment and you're right, I now realise it could do with being a little higher in the frame ideally.

    Regards,

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    William W's Avatar
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    Re: Upon reflection

    I too think the square format is underutilized.

    I would crop your image in a square, as below. It gives a strong reflection and enough space for the bird to move.

    The other examples, clockwise show:

    . using the square and allowing DoF to control the focus of the viewer's eye, but also I kept the square format to drop the main subject into the lower LH third - unlike your image, mine was high key (shot at sunrise) and I did not wish to increase the saturation nor the contrast, but rather let the light and the shallow DoF I selected do their job.

    . this was completely visioned and composed as a square shot, in camera.

    . a re-crop from a 7x5 - just experimentation - thinking outside the traditional rectangular formats.

    WW

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    Re: Upon reflection

    Quote Originally Posted by Dave Humphries View Post
    As it happens, I have this shot as my desktop wallpaper at the moment and you're right, I now realise it could do with being a little higher in the frame ideally.
    As a little "aside", I've found that with reflection type shots you can often break the "rule of thirds" and get away with it.

  6. #6
    crisscross's Avatar
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    Re: Upon reflection

    Quote Originally Posted by William W View Post
    I too think the square format is underutilized.

    I would crop your image in a square, as below. It gives a strong reflection and enough space for the bird to move.

    The other examples, clockwise show:

    . using the square and allowing DoF to control the focus of the viewer's eye, but also I kept the square format to drop the main subject into the lower LH third - unlike your image, mine was high key (shot at sunrise) and I did not wish to increase the saturation nor the contrast, but rather let the light and the shallow DoF I selected do their job.

    . this was completely visioned and composed as a square shot, in camera.

    . a re-crop from a 7x5 - just experimentation - thinking outside the traditional rectangular formats.

    WW
    I think you have cropped both Dave's original and your Heron (heronish bird) overtight, a place for 8x10 format (vertical on the heron); your other 2, yes fine

  7. #7

    Re: Upon reflection

    If I can give my opinion then I agree that the crop is a little overtight, but the square works.

    Ideally, I would also switch the photo so that the bird is facing right - then it would look like the bird is going forwards instead of backwards.

    I like the colour contrast of white and blue - very nice.

    Hard to capture with animals and especially birds, (but can be added with PS) - catch light in the eye.

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