Image is Less Appealing Than I Expected
I posted this image to my Flickr library and I got way fewer "likes" as a percent of views than I thought.
I was attempting to capture this owl family in their environment.
What can I do to make it more appealing to viewers? Is the nest too much? Should I crop it more on the Owls?
- Canon R5, with RF 800 f/11 lens. ISO 1600, 1/2000 of a second. Subject was side / back lit by the early afternoon sun. The sky is not replaced.
Processed in LightRoom, AI DeNoise and tweaked the details in Luminar 4.
It would appear your photo is well exposed and sharp. My opinion of the photo is that even though you have a photo of the owls in the nest the nest overpowers the owls. I believe your intent was to highlight tho owls. I suggest cropping out most of the nest so the owls will be the main interest. I don’t know if that will work or not but worth a try.
Dennis
Over all a nice crisp photo but, cropping some of the nest might get you to where you want to be. Just a thought.
I agree on the crop - the owls are engaging when they dominate. A good photo, but the original presentation is more nature documentary in my opinion.
Is there any way that you can shoot from top to bottom? Changing your point of view can create a much better image.
I agree with the above, for me 90% + of the nest would get cropped.
If a re shoot is available I would go at sunrise or sunset and reduce my SS and Iso as much as I could. I try use a tripod and delay shutter release.
Have fun!
I don't think cropping would help much. In fact I think the size of the nest is a very important feature. But, I think it would be a lot more appealing as it is if we could see the full faces of more than 1 out of 4 birds.
OK. Thank you all for your input. Re-taking or shooting from above are not possible.
Which do you prefer? This one? Or the next one?
(FotoArtist said: I don't think cropping would help much. In fact I think the size of the nest is a very important feature. But, I think it would be a lot more appealing as it is if we could see the full faces of more than 1 out of 4 birds.)
LOL. Funny guy.
I guess I could have shimmied up this 50' tree and re-arranged these wild birds so they would all face the camera. NOT!
Maybe you better reread my post. I offered you an opinion based on your shot as is. Not reshooting anything. That would be dumb. I was trying to be kind and ease you into accepting the reality of your shot.
But I will say it planer. You totally missed the shot. You might as well make a portrait of the single chick out of it because you didn't get any of the other birds, even the mom has her one eye closed and the most interesting thing about this shot is the size of the nest anyway. The one chick is not that strong either. Chalk it up. No crop is going to help.
The natural camouflage of the chick against the wood thatched nest and adult owl adds to the image you captured. I like it and thank you for sharing.
David C.
Both are quite appealing, the composition in the first puts it ahead by a thin margin.
Crop #2 is better, but maybe think of cropping off the fuzzy babes on the left. Subject is mom and baby and there is enough nest shown to indicate that its massive.
Honestly I don’t care for either since the adult has its eyes closed. Also against it is the two chicks on the left are meaningless to the photo. In my opinion I would crop to just the adult and the chick but the photo would still be lacking. Sorry.
Dennis
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