Camouflage

Hi Tom,

Welcome to the NPN Fauna Gallery - not sure if this is your FIRST post here, but regardless - thanks for sharing this image with us. Your image does show how well this species is camouflaged, especially when situated in its preferred habitat. From a purely aesthetic point of view I think I'd prefer the subject a little more out of the "dead center" position, and if the image were mine I'd probably place the subject a little higher and to the right (to support the diagonal line provided by the gator itself.

Cheers...and thanks for sharing this...

Brad

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http://www.naturephotographers.net/naturephotos/wildlifephotography.html

and you'll find links to the the image posting guidelines and two articles on critiquing ("The Art of Image Critique" and "More Thoughts on Photo Critique.").

Another welcome to NPN Tom! This image indeed shows very well how good the gator's camouflage is. The scene is a bit chaotic, but that is what helps the camouflage What I partiocularly like in this image is how that eye stands out so well. Brad came up with a good alternative composition suggestion here that might be worth a try.
Hope to see more of your work in this gallery!

Hi Tom. That eye really pops out at you. If you were to tone down the bright highligts around the gator it would pop even more. Nice shot.

I would agree with the observations that Brad gave you and add that the strength of this image, IMO, is the wonderful rippled surface of the water and reflections and the wet gator is a nice accent.

Very good shot showing the camo abilities of the gator. I do find the light a bit harsh and contrasty. Short of waiting around for better light (and assuming the gator would wait around as well) not much to be done about it though.

Interesting comments, thanks for all of them. I tried several crops but settled on this- even though it's sometime called bulls eye-ing - since the amount of reflections and natural grass in the water overpowered the subject otherwise. I don't like to manipulate tones too much - preferring the look of what was there the moment I shot. Contrasty light? Yes, but I'm OK with it. Thanks again, ToM