Egretta thula
This will be the last of this theme but it won't be the last image that I post with what might be considered an imperfect head angle.
From my previous Tricolored Heron and American Coot posts:
My next several posts will have sort of a theme going. Else where on the web I have seen some posts that I found interesting but several people who critiqued the images have talked about having the head angle 2 degrees this way or three degrees another. I've pondered those critiques and personally there are times when I think different head angles; even those that do not show the "perfect head turn" can be very compelling images.
So I thought I would post a few of my photos where the head angle isn't perfect but where I find that I like the images despite the lack of direct eye contact. I am curious about what you think of these so please let me know.
In this photo the primary bird is looking away, yet you can still see the eye. I believe the reason this image works for me is that it appears the Snowy is looking at the stormy water thus I don't mind the head angle. I will let you be the judge of whether this image works or not.
I like the OOF egret in the background, I feel it adds a tension that might not be there is that bird were absent.
D200, HH, laying in the sand, f5.6, 1/500, ISO 500, 80-400mm VR at 400mm, 72% of the original image, a small amount of NR applied to the background and the very tip of a bill from a sandwich tern cloned out of the left side of the frame. Natural light. Taken very early in the morning just as soe light began to appear in FL in September 2008.
As always, I sincerely appreciate your comments & critiques, thank you for indulging me with this theme and for the valuable insights & thoughts you have given on it.
Comments
21 commentsI would say of the three in the series, I prefer the first two, but this one is still a really good shot, and interesting in a way that a straight-on perfect-head-turn shot is not. The expression on this bird (between the eye, the look, the raised crest) is intriguing. Techs and comp are nice, but what makes the shot is the interesting expression on a "imperfect" head-turn.
cheers
Rob
I really like the lighting on the birds, the pink color of the receding water, and the OOF breaking waves. I imagine that I would like the shot more if the head of the bird in focus were against the darker water. I like the inclusion of the OOF egret, but am unable to state exactly why.
This is one of those cases where horizontal alignment is problematic for me: no horizon, no reflection to line up, no vertical elements in BG, etc. Mia: how did you decide on alignment?
As to head turns, I don't let it bother me because I go out to shoot behavioral images. There's much more value in capturing a bird in its element than capturing one that poses for the camera ever so nicely. IMO, that is. Love the early morning pink cast on the birds.
Head turns that show a bird looking directly ahead seemingly into space with the bird in a sideways pose , are the one's that I've always been called up on, so I have since liked to see a slightly 'cocked' head-pose and some eye contact.
In this particular photo the Egret is obviously looking at something as is the oof bird behind, so it does not really bother me.
Rotation on this photo wouldn't work as the bird would be tipped up backwards !
To me, the colours in this photo are fantastic. I'm thinking you probably timed the photo to catch that wave breaking. That does a lot for the feeling of the picture.
-Cliff
This particular image doesn't work as well for me as your last 2 posts. The oof egret, breaking waves, & pastel reflection are nice but I would prefer a bit more eye contact with the primary subject. The image does leave me wondering what the egrets are looking at. If that final element were included in the image then the head angle wouldn't bother me and the rest of the story would be told.
David, in answer to your question about horizontal alignment, part of how I decided on the alignment is from knowing the location intimately, the other part is what I would say is a "guesstimate" because as you mentioned I had no horizon, no vertical elements to line up and the reflections are distorted at the key points I would have used.
Again, my thanks to all who have contributed to this themed series.
May