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Alligator w/Reflection
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Alligator w/Reflection

by Barbara Graham

Gallery: WildlifePosted February 4, 2017253 views3 comments
Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge
2/4/2017 – 5:19:58 PM
Canon EOS 7D EF400mm f/5.6L USM
1/1000 sec;   f/7.1;   ISO 500
Manual;   Evaluative metering
LR5, PS6, Topaz DeNoise on Background, Topaz Delete separately on log and alligator, Curves, cropped a little off the right.

Someone was stopped on the wildlife drive, so I checked to see what they were looking at, and I thought, "Oh, it's just a small alligator."  But I got out to check it out anyway, and to the best of my memory this is the first alligator I've ever seen with a complete reflection.  I thought that was really cool. 

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you!

Comments

3 comments
Comment posted by Lon Sharp on February 6, 2017 at 1:34 PM
This image works well for me, bringing me back to view more than once.  Yet, I am having a bit of a time isolating what I like best and what might be different.  Somehow I believe this is not really about the reflection and I think the reflection is a minor element.  I very much like your mood established with excellent processing choices, giving a dramatic dark setting just enough texture and highlight detail.  In terms of comp, my personal very subjective  feeling is that you could make it stronger by eliminating part of the bottom (sorry, reflection) with a crop, keeping the nice circle on the water's surface on the left and perhaps eliminating the bright log reflection center.  That would make the nicely draping alligator tail disappear into the water leading to the lower right corner of the frame.  Such a crop would keep the eye studying the main subject and the fallen tree that serves as his perch.  All that said, with such a presentation, ideally, if what your are showing us  is already a crop,  one could have a wee bit more space restored on the left and if there are not unwanted elements, also on top to add to the interesting and mysterious feeling setting.  Finally, those are just reactions...I like this fine, just as posted!
 
Registered on December 9, 2007, 258 Posts, 9892 Comments
Comment posted by Barbara Graham on February 6, 2017 at 1:46 PM
Lon, thank you very much for all the feedback.. Most or all of your thoughts would be very easy to accomplish, as I have three other frames that are good, and they all have slightly different positions.  I picked this one because it had the best reflection. enlightened

This one only has a little cropped from the right for composition, though ideally for me the composition would have more room on the left, as you say, and at least one of the other frames has that room.

The top does have another branch which would probably be an unwanted element, and two of the frames have that in them.

So I'll think about this.  There's no reason I can't have more than one image. cool  Thanks again.
Registered on July 27, 2010, 1310 Posts, 5035 Comments
Comment posted by Ed Williams on February 9, 2017 at 12:45 AM
This is just choice Barbara. Love the leisurely lizard. Nice details in the shade too.
Registered on December 28, 2010, 636 Posts, 3499 Comments