DamLitter (Page 2): I agree. The original is a masterpiece. The bottle is a minor detail that can be easily corrected in post.

PB73 Loc: Fremont, Ohio

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 agree. The original is a masterpiece. The bottle is a minor detail that can be easily corrected in post.

minniev Loc: MIssissippi

pfrancke wrote:

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.

You are never incoherent Piet, and I always appreciate your honest opinion, no matter what it is!

minniev Loc: MIssissippi

PB73 wrote:

I agree. The original is a masterpiece. The bottle is a minor detail that can be easily corrected in post.

Thank you for such a kind assessment. I'm honored.

Manglesphoto Loc: 70 miles south of St.Louis

minniev wrote:

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

Minnie, I prefer the second image, it looks as if the birds are fighting to me, very interesting. I see very little trash, but any trash is too much.
As far as a poster on the trash problem I don't think it works, but it is a fantastic image!!!!

minniev Loc: MIssissippi

Manglesphoto wrote:

Minnie, I prefer the second image, it looks as if the birds are fighting to me, very interesting. I see very little trash, but any trash is too much.
As far as a poster on the trash problem I don't think it works, but it is a fantastic image!!!!

Thank you for your thoughts. They are indeed fighting. The one on top is trying to drive away the other one so he can claim sole ownership of one of the favored fishing spots. They do this stuff all day long when the fishing's good.

Laurence68 Loc: Olympic Peninsula, WA

The original image is, for me, magnificent. The crop is good, but the original has the counterbalance of the grey (wall?) in the upper right background, which keeps the whole image intact and congruent. I would agree that this might be best as an image of nature, with the green plastic cloned out - but would love to see more images that coalesce the divergent elements between trash and natural components, with an emphasis on the effects of the trash.

REALLY a powerful image, and the birds' positions are like a "flash" of stopped motion, which I really like.

minniev Loc: MIssissippi

Laurence68 wrote:

The original image is, for me, magnificent. The cr... (show quote)

Thank you Laurence, for checking out my birds and coming down on the side of the original crop and explaining my intent better than I could. I have been obsessed with the birds for a year and recently received an endowment award to bring the project to some kind of publication - still floundering with how to do that, but learning a little more as I go. So the good folks on this section will have to endure many more months of bird and dam photos while I work through the most ambitious project I've ever become obsessed with.

Laurence68 Loc: Olympic Peninsula, WA

minniev wrote:

Thank you Laurence, for checking out my birds and ... (show quote)

Well, I only gave one opinion, but give it openly, aware that I'm no expert at ALL. That said, I DO think the original crop is better balanced and tells the story a little better because of the hint of the dam walls showing almost mysteriously in that upper right corner.

Yes, we'll have to ENDURE more bird and dam photos! Haha, what a thing to have to "endure"! Keep them coming. :-)

minniev Loc: MIssissippi

Laurence68 wrote:

Well, I only gave one opinion, but give it openly, aware that I'm no expert at ALL. That said, I DO think the original crop is better balanced and tells the story a little better because of the hint of the dam walls showing almost mysteriously in that upper right corner.

Yes, we'll have to ENDURE more bird and dam photos! Haha, what a thing to have to "endure"! Keep them coming. :-)

I've used forum feedback very deliberately to help me shape the portfolio, so in truth the good people here get some credit for the award too. When I submit an image, I count the responses and make note of the suggestions. Some suggestions point out technical flaws I just missed, and I can then correct them. If there is a strong positive response to an image, I flag it for the portfolio. If there is a weak and/or negative response, I flag it as questionable. If there is a mixed and contradictory response like there was on this one, I make note of how many/what then I post the same image in the other forum I belong to, to see if I can get off the seesaw. If an editing suggestion sounds like it would help, I try it. If I like it, I use it. I still make all my own choices, but with hundreds of dam bird images to select from, I get help here to decide which may be more appealing to other photographers from a cross section of interests.

And I appreciate your feedback in helping with that process!