Here we have three pictures, or I should say, three crops taken from the same frame. In my quest for "small birds in flight" captures I have come up with a strategy of baiting the birds with the feeder. My focus is set on the feeder or just a tiny bit distant and then I shift the field of view to the side where I anticipate the little guys will come storming in. With most things in life timing and luck is everything but photography requires additional elements. In this case a 200mm f2.8 prime lens on an 18 megapixel Dslr didn't hurt our chances. Why? Because it lets us capture a fairly wide frame at a resolution high enough that the image can easily be cropped down to find the picture within the picture. The White Breasted Nuthatch tells a different story in each of these compositions. Which do you like the best?
I like #1 best and #3 next best because it has another bird in the photo.#2 also emphasis the tree branch.
ReplyDeleteGood points,#2 has a downward weight in the composition especially with the posture of the bird being hunched over. My eye follows the branch across the frame from right to left than falls onto the Nuthatch. The weight of the out of focus limbs act like lightening from low storm clouds!
ReplyDeleteQuestion: Is the Black-capped Chickadee in #3 taking off or landing?
For me it's a toss-up between the 3rd and 1st. In the 2nd the bird is too centered, I agree the eyes go to the branch. The rest depends on what story you want to tell. If it's really about the bird - species, shape, color etc - it's #1, but #3 tells me more.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely stunning photos...it's really hard to choose. But for me, #1 is the best crop. I'm still sighing from the beautiful shot :-)
ReplyDeleteI answered your question about the fox on my site.
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness. The images here are so spectacular. Thanks for stopping by my place so I could find you.
ReplyDeleteIt all depends on what you're wanting to convey to the viewer.
ReplyDeleteI love #1. #3 provides context, but #1 is a photo I'd hang on my wall. Beautiful photo(s) -- lovely clarity! Thanks for the invitation to contribute to World Bird Wednesday.
ReplyDeleteI like them all...the detail on the nutty is so wonderful...but I do like a story...Like that you caught the little dee too....Michelle
ReplyDeleteAll are amazing, but #1 is THE bird shot! Love it.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion #1 and #2 are great shots. I don't like getting the feeder in my shots. #1 has the right composition acording to the rules, space in front of the bird, it's coming. But you could have turned it around, making the bird go from left to right. That's the way most western people like to "read" the photo. The branch kind of clutters the out-of-focus area, I think it would be better without it. #2 tells me the bird is leaving, it's interesting because it breaks the rules with having the open space behind the bird. But it works in this shot in my opinion. Nice work!
ReplyDeleteI prefer #1, but then, I am detail oriented, and that one gives the most detail about the feathers, etc of the nutthatch.
ReplyDeleteI like #1 above all the others. It gives the bird space to move into. In #2 its flight is blocked, it feels cramped, and #3 is kind of boring ue to inclusion of the feeder.
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