Yellow-rumped Warbler Having Fun in a Flowering Crab Apple

Yes this is the same crab apple tree in which I shot the Yellow Warbler images that I posted several days ago. This time it is a Yellow-rumped Warbler (female, I think) just having some fun in the tree.

C&C welcomed. Thanks for looking.

You asked for honesty , so here I go, the first two shots I have a hard time deciding what the subject is the flower or the bird so I give them a 5. The last shot is excellent, the way his head is framed with the crab apple blossoms draws me right in to the focal point , the birds eye . This shot is 9 , maybe if the crop was a little tighter and I could see a little more of the warbler it could be a 10.

clivingston wrote in post #3148290
You asked for honesty , so here I go, the first two shots I have a hard time deciding what the subject is the flower or the bird so I give them a 5. The last shot is excellent, the way his head is framed with the crab apple blossoms draws me right in to the focal point , the birds eye . This shot is 9 , maybe if the crop was a little tighter and I could see a little more of the warbler it could be a 10.

Yes I did and I appreciate it. Thank you.

It is interesting to me that the very thing that I like about the first two is what you find distracting. I like the Warbler and I like the Crab Apple flowers. What I saw (see) in these images (all three actually) is the interplay between the bird and the surrounding environment which happens to be the crab apple tree. The fact that the bird and the single blossom in #1 and #2 are in the same plane and therefore in the same focus was what appealed to me because it highlighted the interplay. Yet I do understand your point completely. I will be curious to see what others may say.

But again, I can't emphasize enough that I do want and appreciate honest feedback. It is crucial to my getting better as a photographer.

Thanks again, Chris.

The last one is the best, but even that one I would crop more and show the bird bigger. All three are technically very good shots and the focal plane didn't escape me. But, it's the birds that are of interest to me and tighter crops of the first two might show me more of what the bird is doing up under that blossom. I'm just not very artistic.

Very nice. I think #3 is a winner with a little cropping to emphasize the bird a little more. #1 and 2 are both nice but the bird gets a little lost in them.

Thanks Mitch. Thanks Shirley. Actually, I did do tighter crops before posting yesterday and didn't like them as much as the wider crops. I relooked today and like them a little better than last night. Maybe you folks are having an effect on me.

I think my "problem" is that I really like the flowers as well as the birds. I do quite a bit of wildflower photography as well. So I tried to compromise in the composition and emphasize both rather than the bird at the expense of the flowers.

As a matter of fact. I had a fouth image that I pulled before posting last night because it looked so barren in comparison. I had both a wider and tighter crop on that one as well. Here is the tighter crop. The image definitely emphasizes the bird but I think the image pales in its totality.

It's not a problem, for me it's just personal preference. There was nothing wrong with the first set although I like these last ones better for "my" tastes. The last one looks like a "bird bouquet" now instead of a tree with a bird in it.

canonloader wrote in post #3150349
It's not a problem, for me it's just personal preference. There was nothing wrong with the first set although I like these last ones better for "my" tastes. The last one looks like a "bird bouquet" now instead of a tree with a bird in it.

I don't know, Mitch. This afternoon as I look at the images, I find myself leaning toward the first set once again. What can I say?

What I was shooting for was something between the two descriptions that you gave. I was shooting a bird in a tree, admittedly not a tree with a bird in it but also not a bird and flower. If that makes any sense.

Anyway, I am still open for any more comments which is getting like pulling teeth these days!

Good shots overall. I like the flowers but wish bird was more visible. Doesn't look like you used your new fill light here? That might have helped all those leaf shadows!

morehtml wrote in post #3153013
Good shots overall. I like the flowers but wish bird was more visible. Doesn't look like you used your new fill light here? That might have helped all those leaf shadows!

Thanks Allen. No I didn't use fill flash even though I did have the flash mounted on the camera. It's just one of those things. To be honest, I didn't think I would need it with the bright front light coming in over my shoulder.

I don't know... there is just so much to learn. I keep trying!

Ed, don't forget you posted these on the bird forum, where some of us are more partial to Birds than Flowers. If you had posted these in a "flowers" forum you might have gotten totally opposite replies. In both forums you would have found people that are into both and love the shots as is.
When you look at the captures in whole, (IMHO at least), there is nothing wrong with them, and in the right place (Birds and Bloom Magazine) for instance, they would fit right in no problem.
So whatever you do, don't be dissapointed with these pictures, they are well done, and show a beautiful bird in its environ, If you like the shots, thats all that matters. Dont worry about what we say, coz we have birds on our brains. Well done.

Thanks Trevor. Excellent advice. I do feel that I accomplished what I set out to do with these images. At the same time, I also find the critiques to be very helpful in making me think about things I may not have before. Its all part of my learning experience. So I appreciate all the comments.

Beautiful shots. Very well done indeed.

Trevor made a very valid point. If you like them...
I think most people critique a photo for one focal point and when there are two points crying, "look at me", it causes havoc in the brain of the critic.
To be honest I think the first shot on the page is best. ...if only the leaf wasn't over the birds face. Still, it's a very nice photo.

Thanks Sindri. I appreciate the feedback.

Booswalia wrote in post #3155002
Trevor made a very valid point. If you like them...
I think most people critique a photo for one focal point and when there are two points crying, "look at me", it causes havoc in the brain of the critic.

I have to agree (willingly ) that Trevor's point is spot on. The most important thing is that I like them. Still all the feedback is very valuable in pointing me into new directions to try. Speaking of which, I tried some things with the whites on a Great Egret today and still manged to get some blown out. But at least I tried some different things. I probably post some of those images over the weekend because even with the slightly blown out whites, I still think the images are interesting.