DamLitter: I made a vertical crop of this one, giving better composition and eliminating the floating trash. But then I went back and looked at the larger file, and redid it with the...

minniev Loc: MIssissippi

I made a vertical crop of this one, giving better composition and eliminating the floating trash. But then I went back and looked at the larger file, and redid it with the trash included. One of the partners I've acquired for the project is a conservation group that is fighting the pollution and litter that makes the dam area ugly but also endangers the creatures who make their homes there. I thought a photo that had interesting/appealing birds AND litter together might have some value in this set.

What do you think? All feedback, suggestions, edits are welcome. Especially crops!

(Download)

Frank2013 Loc: San Antonio, TX. & Milwaukee, WI.

Your best image yet minniev, with or without the trash. I would eliminate the trash for this particular image as it is nothing more than a distraction. There is not enough there to make the pollution statement seem realistic for me. I would try to get another image with the trash as subject and birds a secondary element. Really good job of processing and composition with this one minniev…..

ebrunner Loc: New Jersey Shore

Frank2013 wrote:

Your best image yet minniev, with or without the trash. I would eliminate the trash for this particular image as it is nothing more than a distraction. There is not enough there to make the pollution statement seem realistic for me. I would try to get another image with the trash as subject and birds a secondary element. Really good job of processing and composition with this one minniev…..

There is not that much trash in this capture. It neither distracts nor does it really bring attention to itself. The stars here are the two birds. Their interaction is what I notice when viewing this photo. As such, much of the camera right part of this composition is, to me, extraneous. I can see where a vertical crop would be very effective and maybe even have more impact.
Erich

rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA

minniev wrote:

I made a vertical crop of this one, giving better ... (show quote)

Honestly, I find the birds to be "funky" - I was going to say more, but I'm having trouble coming up with words to explain why I'm just not comfortable with them ... maybe this is the non-artist in me getting in the way again. In any case, my eyes kept being pulled in to them, and I didn't even notice the trash until I made a deliberate effort to go look for it.

pfrancke Loc: cold Maine

I don't care for it Min, The birds are interesting, the walkway and water is fantastic, the message is there, but the birds aren't working well together. I guess the one is moving it's head because the other is flying past, but it just doesn't read right for me. (I could be dead wrong here, but sharing my impression). The birds look awkward and crowded with each other, but they've got room to maneuver.

Part of the problem (about the trash), is that it doesn't fit well with the birds doing their thing. Perhaps a beautiful bird pecking at it, but if the image is going to be about the trash, the birds need to be shown interacting or impacted by it.

NJFrank Loc: New Jersey

I looked at this shot three different times. I would do the download and enlarge trying to get a feel for this picture. For me the angle of the bird in flight looks like he is landing on the other bird. For me that was a large distraction. . The trash that I found is the one green plastic bottle. If there were more I could not find them. So for me it doesn't represent being a trash problem at the damn site. As for the crop I think it is fine.

minniev Loc: MIssissippi

Frank2013 wrote:

Your best image yet minniev, with or without the trash. I would eliminate the trash for this particular image as it is nothing more than a distraction. There is not enough there to make the pollution statement seem realistic for me. I would try to get another image with the trash as subject and birds a secondary element. Really good job of processing and composition with this one minnievâ¦..

Thank you Frank. I have a version that involves a vertical crop, but the trash was appealing in an odd way, mainly because there wasn't much of it.

Here's the crop, I think you can see the bird-fight better.

(Download)

minniev Loc: MIssissippi

ebrunner wrote:

There is not that much trash in this capture. It neither distracts nor does it really bring attention to itself. The stars here are the two birds. Their interaction is what I notice when viewing this photo. As such, much of the camera right part of this composition is, to me, extraneous. I can see where a vertical crop would be very effective and maybe even have more impact.
Erich

Thanks for your feedback. I posted a crop in response to Frank's comment, would be interested to know whether you thought it an improvement.

minniev Loc: MIssissippi

rehess wrote:

Honestly, I find the birds to be "funky" - I was going to say more, but I'm having trouble coming up with words to explain why I'm just not comfortable with them ... maybe this is the non-artist in me getting in the way again. In any case, my eyes kept being pulled in to them, and I didn't even notice the trash until I made a deliberate effort to go look for it.

Thanks for dropping by! In truth, the birds are often awkward when they're cutting up like this. They may look delicate but they are willing to put up a fight to secure the perch they want. I never know which of their antics will be photogenic or not.

NJFrank Loc: New Jersey

minniev wrote:

Thank you Frank. I have a version that involves a vertical crop, but the trash was appealing in an odd way, mainly because there wasn't much of it.

Here's the crop, I think you can see the bird-fight better.

Minn I much prefer this one. To me the birds are the center of attention and I realize what they are doing.

minniev Loc: MIssissippi

pfrancke wrote:

I don't care for it Min, The birds are interestin... (show quote)

Thanks Piet, for the feedback. The birds are having a squabble over perch rights, with the upper bird descending to try and drive away the one who has staked out the property. So they're crowding on purpose to settle the dispute.

I have never seen the birds try to eat the trash, though I saw a young egret very interested in a styrofoam cup this morning. I think he was just learning to fish, so he doesn't know the edibles from inedibles yet.

minniev Loc: MIssissippi

NJFrank wrote:

Minn I much prefer this one. To me the birds are the center of attention and I realize what they are doing.

Thanks for both your comments. Yes, the bird in the air is attacking the one on the concrete to to and make him abandon the perch. This game of musical chairs goes on all day, with birds vying for position, defending turf, and either fussing or fighting to hold ground. Some are more pacifists and will leave when challenged, but others are stubborn and fight for their spots. Some are really aggressive and seem to enjoy pushing the limits. Kinda like people...

Frank2013 Loc: San Antonio, TX. & Milwaukee, WI.

minniev wrote:

Thank you Frank. I have a version that involves a vertical crop, but the trash was appealing in an odd way, mainly because there wasn't much of it.

Here's the crop, I think you can see the bird-fight better.

Maybe I wasn't clear....Sorry minniev but the original composition exudes the real feel of the dam bird environment, and is lost with this crop. The depth and power is brought to life by your inclusion of the right side of the image….just clone the trash if you like, or leave it.

minniev Loc: MIssissippi

Frank2013 wrote:

Maybe I wasn't clear....Sorry minniev but the original composition exudes the real feel of the dam bird environment, and is lost with this crop. The depth and power is brought to life by your inclusion of the right side of the image….just clone the trash if you like, or leave it.

I actually liked them both for different reasons, but you're right that the larger view shows how things are down there, which is one of my goals. I have to weigh the advantages of extra detail in the birds versus preserving the environment that keeps them from being just anywhere.

pfrancke Loc: cold Maine

minniev wrote:

Thank you Frank. I have a version that involves a vertical crop, but the trash was appealing in an odd way, mainly because there wasn't much of it.

Here's the crop, I think you can see the bird-fight better.

I do like the crop more, perhaps because the two birds stacked fits a portrait mode better... I like the brightness on the wing. Thinking more about it, compositionally I dislike the L shape of the original (birds stacked plus stage). Regardless though, the main thing I think I was reacting to was that the story was about the trash - that part I couldn't buy. I saw the trash, found it disgusting, but the main story was still birds and power. Sorry for incoherent rambling.