Critique: The Penguin Dance

[wayne_eddy]

[no penguins here]

This courtship behaviour is called the penguin dance due to the males body position and head shaking: reminiscent of a penguins characteristic body movement.

I ask of you to provide your best critique for this image (good and bad). What's striking about it, what you don't like and what could be improve.

What would you do better if there was $10K standing on it?


http://members.iinet.net.au/%7Edamask/Wayne/Photo/forum/canon/_MG_9842_72dpi.jpg


Here is a second crop with adjustments suggested: sharpening belly, removed spots, crop and rotate:

http://members.iinet.net.au/%7Edamask/Wayne/Photo/forum/canon/_MG_9842_72dpi_crop _II.jpg

[poloman]

My only comment is that I think the horizon is crooked.
Great shot!

[joedlh]

Assuming that the one on the left is the female, it tells an amusing and existential story. Sort of reflects my dating experiences in the younger years. :lol:

Nice shot.

[chomish]

Wow great shot! Those are some cool looking birrds.

[corkneyfonz]

Great capture.

[wayne_eddy]

Wow great shot! Those are some cool looking birrds.

yeah ... so I'm looking for some critique, not a wow factor.

[poloman]

yeah ... so I'm looking for some critique, not a wow factor.

So straighten the horizon. The background looks straight but the water does not look horizontal.

[Flo]

ALready done, the horizon, also is it possible to bring some of the details back on the lighter feathers on the neck?You could probably even get another crop out of this, losing the bottom water, the reflections aren't entire anyways?
I know its most likely a water thing, but the dot in between the birds looks like sensor dust, again, most likely from the water itself.

I like the capture, love the courtship being shown, the body language of the bird crouched is great.

[JRMott]

I like the composition, the tall grass behind the birds helps put things in perspective. Great shot.

[wayne_eddy]

I added a second crop to the OP with adjustments suggested: sharpening belly, removed spots, crop and rotate.

comments appreciated.

[jetboy]

What are all the white speckles? Water drops or dust? I would clean those up.

(edit: we posted at the same time.... I'm still seeing spots in the 2nd crop)

[Accessoire]

Why are there captions of bird conversations going through my head??

"Look what I can do!"

"Maybe if I don't look at him, he'll leave."

sorry for the hijack
its a great capture, I like seeing the edge of the water and where the grass starts as well, keeps everything in a nice perspective.

[wayne_eddy]

What are all the white speckles? Water drops or dust? I would clean those up.

(edit: we posted at the same time.... I'm still seeing spots in the 2nd crop)

Thanks for your input. The white coloured spots are indeed water droplets from the bird in the front. That bird appproaches the female (?), dives under water and then slowly rises its head and gives it a bit of a shake. Hence the droplets.

We wouldn't see dust on a 400mm f/5.6. Dust would either be blurred regions (if they were really big) or dark, rather than light.

[SAB_Click]

I find it very 'bang in the middle'. I would consider a slightly different crop to remove some of the grass at the top and some of the right hand edge.

[wayne_eddy]

I find it very 'bang in the middle'. I would consider a slightly different crop to remove some of the grass at the top and some of the right hand edge.

"Bang in the middle" ... maybe, but it does fit the Golden Spiral and Golden mean quite well

Checking with these points of rule, they miay fit a bit better with a little crop off the RHS as you suggest.

Great suggestion and I shall try it.

[jetboy]

Thanks for your input. The white coloured spots are indeed water droplets from the bird in the front. That bird appproaches the female (?), dives under water and then slowly rises its head and gives it a bit of a shake. Hence the droplets.

We wouldn't see dust on a 400mm f/5.6. Dust would either be blurred regions (if they were really big) or dark, rather than light.

I guess I'm still getting used to thinking digital :o . So used to cleaning slides and negs of dust that I forget its a near non-issue for the electronic age. Well, unless its on your sensor.

[wayne_eddy]

I guess I'm still getting used to thinking digital :o . So used to cleaning slides and negs of dust that I forget its a near non-issue for the electronic age. Well, unless its on your sensor.

Much like dust on film, sensor dust would be black.

[chomish]

yeah ... so I'm looking for some critique, not a wow factor.

The critique is "great shot!"

[poloman]

Much like dust on film, sensor dust would be black.

Sensor dust is usually an out of focus spot a little darker than the background color. Looks like you removed the offending spot. Looked like sensor dust to me. But wasn't sure so didn't mention it.