Critique please...

3dGlen3dGlen Registered Users Posts: 5 Beginner grinner
edited March 24, 2014 in Wildlife
Guys,

Would somebody critique my work... I want to get better!

====================
Glen Whelden
www.glenwheldenphotography.com

Comments

  • kdogkdog Administrators Posts: 11,681 moderator
    edited March 18, 2014
    Welcome to Dgrin, Glen! clap.gif

    That's a great shot. Nice clarity, good catchlight in the eye, shallow DF for good subject isolation and nicely defocused background although perhaps a bit too busy. It would have been nicer to not have the big branch end growing out of his head, but we don't always have control over that. Other than that, was there something specific you had in mind? Judging from your website, you're a solid photographer who's been at this for a while.

    Nice to have you here, so feel free to join in on the conversations and offer critiques to other folks as well. Looking forward to your participation!

    -joel
    Moderator of Landscapes forum
    Link to my Smugmug site
  • 3dGlen3dGlen Registered Users Posts: 5 Beginner grinner
    edited March 19, 2014
    Thanks!
    I'm always striving to get better, in everything I do. I'm curious what
    people see with their eyes - and since there not mine :) they might catch
    something that makes the image not pleasing. Thanks for responding and
    giving your comments -- I felt the same way about the DOF -- wish I had
    more to make a little more background blur!

    Thanks,
    Glen
  • IcebearIcebear Registered Users Posts: 4,015 Major grins
    edited March 20, 2014
    Hi Glen. It's a wonderful shot, but I do have one suggestion. As Joel said, the branch growing out of the bird's head is a bother, but for me it's more than that. I always try (tho not always with success) to shoot critters on diagonal perches. That gives your composition a head start no matter what the bird does, and avoids the distraction you got stuck with. Now some birds (woodpeckers, nuthatches, sapsuckers, flickers and creepers) are going to be on vertical perches whether you like it or not, but that's just what they do. Most birds will give you an angled arrangement if you're patient (and lucky.)
    John :
    Natural selection is responsible for every living thing that exists.
    D3s, D500, D5300, and way more glass than the wife knows about.
  • puzzledpaulpuzzledpaul Registered Users Posts: 1,621 Major grins
    edited March 21, 2014
    If this was mine, it'd end up being an 'if only' shot ... the sort of pic that'll survive the initial cull / edit pass, languish on the HD for a while and then get dumped at a future date during a review / re-visit session.

    The head angle, eye and comp is fine ... but they're further down the 'light / background / comp / pose' list than bg ... and ...again, for me, bg can so easily make or break a shot.

    As well as the load of junk on the branch above the bird's head (as already mentioned) I also find the browny red stuff on the left something of an 'eye pull' - as it's adding a different colour to the main palette... and whilst 'peekaboo' shots of subjects behind foliage can often work well, I'm not sure it does here.

    I also had a quick look at some of the wildlife pics on your site ... I've no idea of practicalities, but for the shots with obvious 'hand of man' elements in them, I'd be considering setting up some sort of alternative more natural looking perch - if they're places you use on a regular-ish basis.

    Whilst rules are there to be broken (at times) shots taken from the 2 rear quarters are often less successful than the frontal quarters. Where water is involved, my personal preference is to be as low as possible ... but this can require a slightly different approach and kit, maybe.

    Multiple shots of the same subject, in slightly different poses, obviously taken during the same session is also something I try to avoid - but other's mmv :)

    This is a very subjective game we're all in, so take with several kg of salt :)

    pp
    Website

    Flickr
  • PGMPGM Registered Users Posts: 2,007 Major grins
    edited March 22, 2014
    Hi Glen,

    You have gotten great advice above. I just wish the first photo I ever posted here had been as good as yours! Unfortunately, such was not the case . . . Welcome to the forum! I am glad you posted this nice photo, because I got a lot out of the above comments, too. Best, Pam
  • 3dGlen3dGlen Registered Users Posts: 5 Beginner grinner
    edited March 24, 2014
    Thanks Pam! I still want YOUR critique, however... I think the more we get in the groove to HELP each other the better... I don't agree with adversarial photography. I'd like to see as much as I can from you guys, so I can look at an image and say "Oh so and so did it THIS way..." and get better doing my stuff. I have received many constructive critiques! Keep 'em coming! Let's see an image! :)

    -- It is a creative endeavor - and what make us human is the right to see an image different than the next person!
  • puzzledpaulpuzzledpaul Registered Users Posts: 1,621 Major grins
    edited March 24, 2014
    3dGlen wrote: »
    ...Let's see an image! :)

    ...

    Unsure what you're after, since most people have a site / web presence with pics on ...

    pp
    Website

    Flickr
  • PGMPGM Registered Users Posts: 2,007 Major grins
    edited March 24, 2014
    Glen, this photo is perfect for one other comment. Your bird has both black and white feathers, and it is difficult to get both ends of that spectrum properly exposed. On my monitor, the white part of the bird's face underneath its eye looks so white that I cannot see the detail of its feathers. A little overexposed. You might try toning down the highlights in that area to see if more detail will come back. And again, this is how it looks on my monitor, which might not be exactly accurate. Keep those photos coming, and I am counting on your critique, too. Best, Pam
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