Bottom 10% - Really? - DPChallenge Forums

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 17-35mm f/2.8D IF-ED

04/08/2012 01:22:04 PM · #1

I kind of liked this image (guess that's why I entered it). :-)

Three comments, all favorable...yet a finish in the 9% range.

What'd I miss?

tanguera

Nikon D750

04/08/2012 01:25:03 PM · #2

Love the tones and the softness. But in this case, the bg stands out more than the fg, even though the fg is in focus. Also, nothing really stands out, and to my eye, the harshness of the fence texture/line isn't in keeping with the rest of the image. Maybe if the foreground were brighter than the bg.

RayEthier

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 USM

04/08/2012 01:39:53 PM · #3

I know diddle about photography, but here is my go at it.

The image is not as sharp as it could be, there truly is way too much negative space, the lighting detracts from the image, the bird seems almost as an afterthought and the colour of the background really takes away from the overall image.

Notwithstanding the things I did not like about the image, I still gave it a 6.

Ray

Melethia

Canon EOS-80D

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

04/08/2012 01:44:11 PM · #4

I can't offer any reasons - I was one of your 7s. I really liked the shot. I liked the use of negative space - created the mood of the shot for me; this little wee guy in this big world, and yet he persists and adds a touch of color and grace to the space.

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM

04/08/2012 01:53:20 PM · #5

I ask because I liked this enough to set it aside as a contender for a June photo show, but now I'm reconsidering (no surprise, I'll change my mind a few times yet between now and then).

soup

Canon EOS-30D

04/08/2012 01:53:38 PM · #6

1/160th, likely at 400mm ? iso 400.

technicals aside, i cropped this down with a full frame aspect ratio, then adjusted the background contrast. i find it more appealing than the center position of the bird as entered. i think the contrast adjustment adds depth.

they are a fickle bird. very shy. so kudos on capturing one seemingly content with its' surroundings.

ETA: your redo is more along the lines of my comment above, mask the adjustment off the bird.

Message edited by author 2012-04-08 13:55:37.

UrfaK

Canon EOS-650/T4i Rebel

Canon EF-S 15-85mm IS USM

04/08/2012 02:09:15 PM · #7

I was one of your 7s so don't have much criticism but I think we've all seen so many technically great bird shots that the comparison is inevitable. If this was tack sharp then it would have instantly gone up to a 6.something.

And I looked at the bird first, then looked at the title and because of the title finally concentrated on the background so it took me more than five seconds to 'see' what I really liked about the image. Some people might not have seen the background properly while for others the background might not have been enough.

GinaRothfels

Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III

Olympus 8mm f/1.8 M.Zuiko Digital ED Fisheye PRO Lens

04/08/2012 02:16:43 PM · #8

Originally posted by glad2badad:

Hmmm...ok. Some mixed feedback. All very much appreciated.

Would this have been any stronger. I created another layer, set to multiply at 40%. Enriched the color some, although the bird may need lightening now.

I ask because I liked this enough to set it aside as a contender for a June photo show, but now I'm reconsidering (no surprise, I'll change my mind a few times yet between now and then).

I'd actually go the other way. I tried a couple of duplicate layers set to screen, masked to keep the bird as is. Then added a bit of saturation to the foreground.

bob350

Sony Alpha 1

Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM

04/08/2012 02:40:41 PM · #9

Voted 6, so I disagree with majority voters (not unusual). Blue/yellow theme works well. Bird has nice rim light (original better than the re-worked version posted in this thread) but is bright enough for feather colors to display well. Background has a rhythm of green/yellow repetition giving some energy, with the tree trunk nicely echoing the fence rail tone. Diagonal of fence keeps it from being too static. On the other hand, the subject doesn't evoke a lot of emotion or implied narrative, and it suffers when mentally compared with other spectacular bird images that have every strand of every feather crisply distinct.

Probably best not to dwell too much on voted scores. Staying out of the "4's" in a free study is not so bad. And you can take comfort in not receiving any "1" votes while managing to garner ten "7" votes as well as an "8". The average you received comes from only 125 voters. In a challenge with 279 entries, the low voter turnout means you shouldn't grant too much significance to this particular score. Notice many thousands of members here did not vote or comment. Also notice that you can have your own valid opinion about the image without internalizing any of the votes or comments of others. Majority thinking kept the impressionists themselves out of the mainstream galleries and art shows for many years.

vawendy

Sony Alpha 1

Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS

04/08/2012 02:52:23 PM · #10

I like the idea of the shot, but not the actual. It seems way too underexposed, both on the background and on the bird. I never think of Monet as dark or muddy, more of a bright happy.

This is a really bad edit since I'm working off the small version, but I would have really brought up the bird and the background:

GinaRothfels

Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III

Olympus 8mm f/1.8 M.Zuiko Digital ED Fisheye PRO Lens

04/08/2012 04:54:14 PM · #11

I decided what I originally suggested was too light. Finally came up with this:

ETA: I do like Wendy's crop better though.

Message edited by author 2012-04-08 16:57:11.

scalvert

Canon EOS-5D Mark III

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

04/08/2012 05:13:35 PM · #12

I like the background reference and bokeh. The missing ingredient was fill flash IMO. Without it the bluebird is more or less in silhouette and therefore deprived of the color and detail that forms the primary impact of a bluebird photo. That's a major visual handicap, and not one that the backlit form of this bird can overcome.

Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.4D

04/08/2012 05:29:39 PM · #13

Wow! Frankly, my head is spinning a bit at the numerous thoughts and comments on this, as well as the crop and re-edits displayed.

Thank you all.

Perhaps some of my attachment to this shot was actually in capturing one of these guys - we have several in our front pasture area but it's been challenging to get close, especially with a camera in hand. :-)

So...I'm going to muck around with this a tad more but doubt now that I'll use it in the June photo show. Not quite strong enough when I look at it objectively.

Again - a sincere "Thank you".

raish

Olympus C-2500L

04/08/2012 05:52:27 PM · #14

You wuz robbed

SDW

Canon EOS-60D

Tamron AF 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di LD Aspherical IF for Canon

04/08/2012 06:14:06 PM · #15

Originally posted by glad2badad:

I kind of liked this image (guess that's why I entered it). :-)

Three comments, all favorable...yet a finish in the 9% range.

What'd I miss?

I liked the photo. However, I do believe if the fence would have been leveled instead of the tree, it would have looked better. Also I wish editing would have allowed a border other than on the outside of the image. I know my edit would have been a dq because of creating an element but here is what I think would have looked good. What do you think?

OverflowStudios

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

04/08/2012 06:27:10 PM · #16

Ya I'm not sure why you would place that low. I actually liked it (gave it a 6). I agree you could probably play with maybe curves and saturation (with a mask) a bit. Nothing too crazy.

MargaretNet

Apple iPhone 15 Pro

Sony FE 24-105mm F4 G OSS

04/08/2012 06:35:30 PM · #17

I think you were trying to kill two birds with one stone (pun intended :) There are two focus points in your photo and they are not complementary. To me it is two photos - a bird and a blurred landscape.

CJinCA

Canon EOS-7D

Canon EF 28-135mm F/3.5-5.6 IS USM

04/08/2012 07:07:39 PM · #18

I think there may be too much space around the bluebird making it too insignificant so a tighter crop and adjusting the lighting on the bird might have helped it score higher.

Here's my attempt, but who knows, a high score in a FS is hard to come by! :-)