Critique please (1 Viewer)

[Sumit]

Norm/Birdman,
Rest easy! I think I know what I am doing. It is not a question of rejecting what appeals to me, how can I? and what appeals to me does not change.
Forums are different. They are open to a wide audience of mixed interest members. I will bet that every photographer knows that Raptors and small jewels like Hummers and Sunbirds get the most OOHS and AAHs and a photographer needs those (or am I different ?!). I post to share what is attractive. There is no joy in posting something that you like (and will continue to like, irrespective) which is ignored because it is not on the same plane of generic attractiveness. For example, I find the attached juv. House Crow extremely attractive, what do you think?

 

[Sumit]

Norm,
I forgot to add that I am a banker(!) and just happen to run a website which introduces Indian birds. Banking is slow these days, no one wants to be in debt......
Professional photographer I am not, but I would like to get up to that standard.

 

[birdman]

3 3 3 Norm, :t:

Sumit,

Your House Crow pic is in my eyes an outstanding pic of an outstanding bird - particularly the beak detail.

Is the lower mandible translucent, or the same colour as the inside of the mouth?

 

[normjackson]

Gee I'm still confused by this thread. It's been a tough day and the continuing clamour here means that, without the concentration skills of a certain Sunil Gavaskar, I can hardly think straight. Of your first picture, Sumit, didn't you say :
"Something attracted me to the lack of detail and the colour splash."
Then :
"The desire is to experiment and see what appeals to the eye. If it is a fuzzy coveys nothing type image then I am wasting my time with low shutter speeds."
I think we, not unreasonably, took that to imply that the results of your polling of opinion in this thread might cause you to cease your experiments with low shutter speed panning. But you also say :
"I think I know what I am doing. It is not a question of rejecting what appeals to me, how can I?"

I really hope Sumit, you feel you've got the info you wanted. Perhaps, as I've suggested, you are trying to conduct some sort of poll to determine what sort of photos from your collection might win most general acclaim. If the comments birdman and I have made will make no difference to what or how you photograph, then I am sure we will each feel a sense of relief at that.

Maybe after a good night's sleep the old head will start working again.

Regards Norm.

 

[normjackson]

My kingdom for a bed!

Only just realised, if Screech pops back he might wonder who the heck Sunil Gavaskar is. He is a retired Indian cricketer once famous for his powers of concentration. Made a great impression on me that apparently as a child in a room shared with his large number of presumably noisy siblings, he still managed to concentrate on his reading. A gift or training? Or perhaps he was reading books on cricket; or maybe it just didn't go in. Reminded now of the Woody Allen quote : "I took a speed-reading course and read War and Peace in twenty minutes. It involves Russia."

 

[normjackson]

Well that's it. I'm taking a sabbatical from posting to forums. After 100+ posts here (well I think it's a lot birdman) I still don't feel I have the skill or am perhaps now taking the time (putting in IMHOs, perhaps, maybes etc.) to be really confident I've sent a post which won't give annoyance or worse, give the false impression that I'm annoyed. I didn't acknowledge your House Crow picture, Sumit. How rude was that? Yes, of course I likey.

Actually, I've said elsewhere that these days I'm particularly partial to nice feather details on birds of generally earth colours (which I guess would include quite a few raptors). The example I gave was Andy Holt's wrynecks at http://homepage.ntlworld.com/andy.holt/digiscope/

I think it's great Sumit that you don't have to concern yourself with the dilemmas that a pro photograher might have to face. One that's cropped up a few times in this forum is that about image processing.
Certainly, I hope you feel that people here, at least, will trust you sufficently to make the effort to try to appreciate what attracted you to your photograph and persuaded you to present it.

Cheerio.

 

[Sumit]

Hi Norm,
Help me here! I have not figured out who is offended by anything on this thread. I am a poor communicator but this thread was one exception. I was really enjoying my participation. If it helps, let me add I am delighted with all the feedback and want more. If people take the time to comment it is of great value and special. Even negative comments have used someones valuable time.
I thought your participation really added substance to this thread. Let us have some more.
For Birdman, attached:
and thanks again to all those who spared the time and took the trouble. I am indeed overwhelmed!

 

[zakkpakk]

national geographic May issue

at least i can be pretty sure that your kingfisher is not a stuffed one!

have you heard/discussed about the scandal in the May issue of the National Geographic?

www.naturephoto.hu

any opion is wellcome!

best regards!

 

[christineredgate]

Sumit,I am very much an amateur where photography is concerned,but I do love pictures esp any which are different.Someone commented that the first pic could be used as desktop,I certainly could not,it would give me blurred vision,but as a picture in it's own right i.e a bird in flight it is pretty awesome.Try not to do too much manipulation,sometimes it detracts from the authenticity of the photo,and your pics are good,very good.
Christine.

 

[Sumit]

Thanks Christine. Your feedback is noted.
Sumit

 

[Joe A.]

I prefer a focused subject and a blurred background. Having said that, however, I also enjoy seeing non-traditional action images. The Kingfisher, for example, is almost impressionistic, in that some see it flying in one direction while others see flying backwards. After a few drinks one might actually think it's flying in both directions. Keep up the good work.

 

[Sumit]

Thanks Joe. Appreciate your feedback.
Sumit

 

[jayhunter]

Sumit I too liked the first image of the Kingfisher, in the UK that is the only glimpse I have ever had. Any Kingfisher static I have viewed has always been in the Far East where they seem to perch and rest awhile maybe because of the heat or humidity. Your best image for me was the Roller I thought that was terrific, the third (was it a flower pecker or a Humming bird) the head was good but the wings seemed to lack something could have been the angle or the shutter speed. Still better than I have managed my Hummer shots taken in Belize were completly fuzzy. Keep them coming your birds in India are very attractive, saw my only Hoopoe in New Delhi, which is a very pretty bird.

 

[Sumit]

Thanks Bob and a Hoopoe for you as a reminder of your visit.
Cheers!
Sumit
ps. It is a Purple-rumped Sunbird