Could use a bit of help.

[Levina de Ruijter]

Hello all,

Today I posted my first photos. In the bird sharing section, but as nobody commented on them, one way or the other, I thought maybe they're not good enough yet for that section. So I came here for a bit of help. I am a beginning photographer and it's birds - of the feathered kind - that are my interest. As I have only started all this in August, I obviously have a lot to learn. So any comments, any critique would be most appreciated.

Regards,
Levina

[ieatmiraclegrow]

i think it might look better in its natural enviornment, but that is all the critique i have, looks very good though

[Levina de Ruijter]

Thank you ieat! I'm so glad to have somebody respond at last.
Actually the gull is in its natural environment. It is in the air with the sky being a light and rather bright grey. I shot it from my bedroom window. Cropped it a bit and corrected white balance. That is all.

[ieatmiraclegrow]

i really can't find anything wrong with it, except maybe the rule of thirds, but i would turn on image editing OK because that may help you a lot, but i am obviously not as experienced as you so I cannot give you that much help.

[Levina de Ruijter]

You are right about the rule of thirds. Thank you for pointing that out to me.

[ieatmiraclegrow]

But remember, rules are meant to be broken. I think the thing that bugs me most about this picture is that the bird doesn't stand out from the sky, im experimenting right now with your photo, and if you want to you could turn editing on and i could post it, but right now im just seeing if i can make it any better.

[Levina de Ruijter]

Well, there is a reason I don't have that option turned on. Critique is most welcome, but editing my photos is something I prefer to do myself. But thank you for the offer. And your point about the gull not standing out enough, is well taken.

[ieatmiraclegrow]

alright, i totally understand, but what i did was photoshop your bird onto a photo a took of a harbor, and it honestly looks a lot better, except for the fact that you can tell that the bird was photoshopped onto my picture, but if you look past that, than you can tell that the enviornment that the bird is in really does affect the photo. Could i see some other of your bird photography?

[chauncey]

It does show signs of a selection process within PP, the faint line around parts of the body.

[Levina de Ruijter]

I have Photoshop Elements 6, but don't know how to use that yet. So I use Lightroom to do small corrections. Here is what I did on the first photo:
- correct White Balance, as there was a blue hue over the bird. But decreasing the blue also whitened the sky.
- added a bit of fill light.
- cropped it.
And on exporting it I chose 'sharpen for web'. That is all. I too noticed the line around the body on the forum. Maybe it didn't need the 'sharpen for web' option then?

Here are two more gull photos.

[chauncey]

like those more better. :lol:

[Levina de Ruijter]

That first photo was exported with the 'sharpen for web' option set on 'high'. That was obviously a bad idea. I'm glad you like these better. Thank you!

[rw2]

The last 2 shots are much better. The first you have a white bird on a white background. Not enough contrast or color for me. The contrast in the last two help separte your subject from the background. When you take a shot look beyond the the main subject and determine if the background will help or hurt your shot. Some days you are stuck with what nature gives you.
Here are 2 shots I took of the same bird, in the same area on different days. One very cloudy day and one with blue sky and some light clouds.

[Metalstrm]

Jesus Christ! Those red eyes look eviiiil! :P I can't really comment on the photographs though as I'm not experienced with wildlife photography. Still, leaving some space in front of the bird and using the rule of thirds, generally works. Doesn't have to be always like that but it's a good rule of thumb methinks. Now the largest technical problem I see here is that you have tonal mergers because of the white background and white birds. Again, if this was really intended, there's nothing wrong (I actually do believe that intended 'mistakes' can greatly enhance the whole experience just as musical accidentals can give life to a musical composition), but if it wasn't, then it's simply wrong.

Show us some more.

[Levina de Ruijter]

Thank you people for you comments. About the rule of thirds. I don't know if that would apply with a bird in flight filling the entire frame. The first photo was frame filling too at first, but I resized it before posting and didn't recrop it, so I agree with you there. The last two photos, I don't know but they seem fine particularly because the birds' bodies are positioned to the left of the frame.
As far as the white background is concerned. It's like rw2 says, you have to make do with what nature gives you. In December all I get now are overcast, dull, grey skies. So when I make photos that's the sky I get. Having said that, I really like those big Herring Gulls against that background. It makes them look even more menacing. I like that. But I do have some gulls against a blue sky. Like these two much smaller, black eyed and friendlier looking Black Headed Gulls:

[Metalstrm]

I like the form of the wing in your second photo (of your above post).

[rw2]

The last two are very nice! Good exposure and nice detail.

[Levina de Ruijter]

Thank you Kristian and rw2.

[rw2]

The only thing you need now is a lens for birding. I have the canon 400mm great lens for birding.

[Levina de Ruijter]

Yes, I do need a lens for birding. But as I am very new to photography I don't quite know yet what it is I need or want exactly. I have been looking at the 400mm and the 100-400mm both. But probably the prime would be the better one of the two. These are really tough decisions, particularly when you're on a bit of a tight budget. Thanks rw2!

[Robbierob]

I like the main subject in #3 the best...if it wasnt for that damn seagull distracting the background.

[Levina de Ruijter]

Hi Robbie. Thank you. I know what you mean. I thought about cloning it out, or trying to anyway, but part of me also likes it being there, because is puts that main gull in the real world, so to speak. I'll make a copy and try to clone it out. See how that looks.