Does this work? (1 Viewer)

Dave Adshead · Mar 9, 2005

I was watching this White Throated Kingfisher at Bharatpur, last month, it kept landing on this reed and bending it over at an angle. I thought I saw a picture.
Can any one else see one, does it work and could it be improved?

Comments welcome.
Thanks and best wishes
Dave

robski · Mar 9, 2005

Yes I see what you mean - it's frustrating - teasing us to be a good shot.
I have a number of shots of grasses that are almost but not quite. After much effort I've given them up as a bad job.

I've sat and looked at yours from a distance with my eyes squinted and I feel if you can air brush out the distracting background in the upper half of the frame you may have something.

Best of luck with your efforts

Robert

normjackson · Mar 9, 2005

I like this shot very much so IMHO yes it does "work".
As regards improvement, for me personally the only definite improvement would be to clone out or crop out the curled grass at left which is a distraction.
Other than that can only suggest alternative treatments. Here's a version which is slightly more cropped, has a graduated darken at top and is toned.

robski · Mar 9, 2005

normjackson said:
I like this shot very much so IMHO yes it does "work".
As regards improvement, for me personally the only definite improvement would be to clone out or crop out the curled grass at left which is a distraction.
Other than that can only suggest alternative treatments. Here's a version which is slightly more cropped, has a graduated darken at top and is toned.

A nice effort - the toning has made a big improvement.
Added some depth to the image.

I just hope other artistic types have a bash with this one.

May inspire us to revisit some of our nearly but not quite shots.

Thanks Robert

Dave Adshead · Mar 12, 2005

Thanks for your efforts I'm glad someone else can also see a picture.
Best wishes
Dave

Andy Bright · Mar 12, 2005

Really works for me, a lovely composition. Basically a silhouette but the key is that you can see exactly what bird it is (even joe public would recognise it as a kingfisher).

cheers,
Andy

keith_kdy · Apr 7, 2005

Hi Dave,

Lovely picture just as it is. What you do depends upon your degree of mastery of digital manipulation and whether you approve of altering a natural composition.

If I were to alter it at all, I would do the following:
Shorten the left hand reed.
Darken the upper corners of the image.
Rotate the top part of the main diagonal reed 60 degrees clockwise. I have done this because it is such a strong diagonal as well as the kingfisher facing right, everything leadds the eye out the top right. You need a stopper to bring the eye back round across the base and back to the bird. My result is attached below.

Dave Adshead · Apr 11, 2005

Keith,

Thanks for that, I do like this, each attempt has given me food for thought.
Best wishes everyone.

Dave Adshead · Jul 9, 2005

Awards for photograph

Dave Adshead said:
Keith,

Thanks for that, I do like this, each attempt has given me food for thought.
Best wishes everyone.

I thought that I would update the members of this forum who took the time to critique my photograph of the White Throated Kingfisher. Thanks to the advice you gave I played with photograph and produced the attached image. 1st thumbnail.
I then decided to enter a print into a photographic competition run by my employers, well I'm pleased to say that Nationally it was Highly Commended and Regionally it won Best Print for 2005. So in all I got 2 medals to keep and a cup which I keep for a year. 2nd thumbprint

So once again thank you for your help and advice.
Best wishes
Dave

normjackson · Jul 9, 2005

Thanks for the update, Dave. Thrilled for yer :t: That's three handsome trophies to go with one handsome photograph.

Norm.

robski · Jul 10, 2005

Well done :clap:

Robert

Keith Reeder · Jul 10, 2005

Got to admit Dave, that I like your treatment the best - good move to clone out all the emerging grasses in the background, and the slight "posterisation" of the ripple works well too.

rin · Jul 12, 2005

Wow Keith, I might as well give up now.

I am new to digital photography and try my best to take natural photos so as to avoid editing but what you have done is beyond my basic talents.

I love the changes.

Catherine

keith_kdy said:
Hi Dave,

Lovely picture just as it is. What you do depends upon your degree of mastery of digital manipulation and whether you approve of altering a natural composition.

If I were to alter it at all, I would do the following:
Shorten the left hand reed.
Darken the upper corners of the image.
Rotate the top part of the main diagonal reed 60 degrees clockwise. I have done this because it is such a strong diagonal as well as the kingfisher facing right, everything leadds the eye out the top right. You need a stopper to bring the eye back round across the base and back to the bird. My result is attached below.

Does this work? (1 Viewer)

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Dave Adshead

How much!

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robski

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normjackson

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robski

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Dave Adshead

How much!

Andy Bright

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keith_kdy

Inquisitive Naturalist

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Dave Adshead

How much!

Dave Adshead

How much!

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normjackson

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robski

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Keith Reeder

Watch the birdie...

rin

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