Trumpeter swans

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This is my first submission but please don't go easy on me. I am really trying to improve my photos so your suggestions will be greatly appreciated. Thanks. BTW the data for the photo is Nikon N70 w/Tokina 400mm f/5.6 and Tamron 1.4X (lens set at f/5.6) on Fuji MS 100/1000 pushed to 400.

-- Russell Greenhalgh (rgimages@aol.com), November 02, 1999

Answers

Russell, I would suggest that you concentrate on zooming in on a single swan and get some detail of the bird, while a group shot like this is common, it lacks detail and has no one point to keep interest and make a person want to look deeper into the photo. Just one man's opinion. Pat

-- pat j. krentz (krentz@cci-29palms.com), November 02, 1999.

I think this is quite a good photo! (I am not a nature photographer, so I humbly beg to differ with Pat :) The two different wing positions of the swans are fascinating. OK, it is a bit cluttered in the middle...

The scan seems too bright and a bit soft. I think it needs a lot more contrast, and perhaps an Unsharp Mask. I also find a bluish tinge on the swans.

-- Gordon Richardson (gordonr@iafrica.com), November 03, 1999.


I kind of agree with the first poster that the subject is not well defined. BUT if I crop the top just below the ugly water line and if I do the same at the bottom so that I leave only one wave, I obtain what i would consider a GREAT panoramic shot. With such a framing my eyes can concentrate on the swans and on the swans only, making a clearer statement to the viewer. If you have other shots from this serie, try to find one with a better global composition. It is however true than the color is flat and the picture is laking some sharpness. That said I like that panoramic view. Vincent.

-- Vincent Le Flohic (vincent_leflohic@hp.com), November 03, 1999.

I agree with the comments made above concerning technical problems with this picture. However, the eruption of movement and energy displayed by the swans is, in my opinion, great. I also think that a panoramic crop would greatly improve this image.

-- Mark Castiglia (markus777@earthlink.net), November 03, 1999.

Not the best lighting for this shot - way too much glare, competes with the photo.

I like the group action shot, but I also like the positions of the individuals. You're already stretched out a bit with the 400+TC, but if you were able to get close enough for a frame-filling shot of bird #5 with the wings outstretch forward and running, hmm...

-- Scott (bliorg@yahoo.com), November 03, 1999.



i agree with the cropping suggestions- removing the rough water with the small birds at the top helps a lot. unfortunately it is a little too busy for me, but i think you had a great shot in mind- the birds just didn't cooperate. maybe you should pay them more . my guess is your slide is sharper than what i see- that seems to be the case a lot. your image editing software can probably help with this. were you using a tripod? if not that may have been the cause of the lack of sharpness. you picked a tough subject first time out- the white of the birds against the dark water can be beyond the range of some films and hard for cameras to meter accurately- it looks like you did a great job with the exposure level. greg greg

-- greg rothschild (gnr@toast.net), November 03, 1999.

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