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Guard-of-the-Citadel — The Softer Side
#flamingo
Published: 2015-05-23 23:45:26 +0000 UTC; Views: 329; Favourites: 31; Downloads: 0
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Description
After the Flamingo Mingle was over and they were back in their habitat, they are still very social and curious. Fortunately for me, this one is in the shade of a tree and I think it makes a very pretty soft photo. One of my favorites!Flamingo - Indianapolis Zoo
No reproductions of my work without express permissionAll comments are deeply appreciated!!!
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Comments: 10
fartsandfrenchfries.deviantart…
I read your comments about your experience at the Indiana State Fair, so I thought I would offer a mini-critique of your flamingo photo. I was a newspaper journalist for 33 years and did quite a bit of photojournalism at small papers over the years, so my opinions are influenced by that background. On to your flamingo: First, the photo is static. It's a straight-on profile, and a basic horizontal shot of a vertical animal. I would have liked more bokeh, but I understand the limitations if you're not shooting with super-fast, zillion-dollar professional lenses. (I hope that doesn't sound condescending; I don't mean it that way.) It's sharp, but it's sharp all over. That's great if you are using it as an illustration for, say, a textbook, but the photo doesn't tell you where to focus your attention. My eye just kind of wandered all over the image. While I like the detail, it's probably somewhat down the list of a judge's priorities in a contest. Having been shot in the shade, the photo's color is just a little off. It's a little bluish, particularly in the bill area. And the photo overall is a little flat. I would adjust the color a little bit and bump up the contrast somewhat if you have the software to do so. I included a link to a flamingo shot I made at the Columbus Zoo. I think it shows the kinds of things I point out above. But you are absolutely right: You are shooting to please yourself. Photography, as with any art form, is highly subjective, even in the technical aspects. It took me a long time to realize that not everyone has the same tastes, and not everyone will like my images as much as I do. If you're pleasing yourself and having fun doing it, you're on the right track!
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Thank you!!! Actually I deeply appreciate your comments and critique. You are pretty much spot on for what I was told by others. Yes it is a horizontal shot but I was actually that close to it so a vertical shot was out of the question. As far as the sharpness and color, I received the same critique from others and I do agree that I should have bumped up the color/contrast. Your flamingo shot is outstanding!!!! I will study it, as it is an excellent demonstration of qualities that I lack in my photography. No, I don't have the super fast expensive professional lenses and I try to limit my manipulation of photos. That's just a picky point with me. However, that doesn't mean that I can't learn to take better photos and to process them better once I have them.
Thank you so much for taking the time to help me.
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You are quite welcome. Don't be afraid to make your photos better in post-production. Obviously, the less you have to work on your image file, the better off you are. But tweaking an image digitally is no different in my book than in the old days when I used to have to dodge and burn photos in the black and white darkroom. Custom labs used to use all sorts of filters on color prints made from negatives, and digital labs will do the same if instructed to do so. It's like telling a painter not to blend his or her paints to expand the color palette. It's art! The finished product is most important, not just how you get there. Don't let photo snobs tell you any different.
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I think I'm the photo snob!
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Thank you, David!!!!! I've learned (the hard way) that brilliant sunlight is not my friend. So, as much as I do love some of my shots from the Mingle, this one in the shade of the tree is one of my top favorites.
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I've just noticed the catch-light in the eye - a very good sign!, Cynthia.
David
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Thanks!!! That's one of the things I learned today; it's a bill and not a beak! Which of course makes perfect sense but I just never gave it enough thought. Duh! Those teeth-like features allows them to preen their feathers ........ or someone's hair!
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