What is wrong with this picture?

[UtopianStardust]

Hello everyone. I would like you to please go all out and tell me what is wrong with this picture. Be brutally mean. I don't mind, I can take criticism. Yes, I know, this is a terrible picture, but it's the only way I can learn.

[Camellia]

Hi Utopia

It is NOT terrible. There are a few things you can do that will probably help you like it more though. The highlights are blown so you've lost some important details on the feathers - fiddle with this in your PP software. Some sharpening is required on the pelican's head in particular - it looks a bit soft. In future, check your focus point (I mess this up and kick myself afterwards). The black background on the left is a bit of a distraction - next time try to choose an angle that will give you a complementary background. Having said that, the water is nice. If you'd been able to use the water as the entire backdrop that would've been really effective. I hope this helps.

[UtopianStardust]

Hi Utopia

It is NOT terrible. There are a few things you can do that will probably help you like it more though. The highlights are blown so you've lost some important details on the feathers - fiddle with this in your PP software. Some sharpening is required on the pelican's head in particular - it looks a bit soft. In future, check your focus point (I mess this up and kick myself afterwards). The black background on the left is a bit of a distraction - next time try to choose an angle that will give you a complementary background. Having said that, the water is nice. If you'd been able to use the water as the entire backdrop that would've been really effective. I hope this helps.

This was taken at the zoo, so I had a very limited space. maybe 3-4 feet of space to move. I actually did try to get the black parts on the ground out of my viewfinder, but it was impossible. :\

[LenG]

This was taken at the zoo, so I had a very limited space. maybe 3-4 feet of space to move. I actually did try to get the black parts on the ground out of my viewfinder, but it was impossible. :\

What did you use for post processing?

[UtopianStardust]

What did you use for post processing?

what did I use for what? O.o

[Camellia]

This was taken at the zoo, so I had a very limited space. maybe 3-4 feet of space to move. I actually did try to get the black parts on the ground out of my viewfinder, but it was impossible. :\

I know that feeling well! My wildlife opportunities are usually my backyard or the zoo.

[LenG]

what did I use for what? O.o

Sorry. What program did you use to to "tweek" the image?

[UtopianStardust]

Sorry. What program did you use to to "tweek" the image?

Aha! I'm sorry, I'm technologically handicapped. And I did not edit this. A friend of mine did. I think she used a website. Nothing fancy. x)

[mythlady]

In a lot of ways, it's a great pic -- I like the pose you captured, and as Raylee said, the water is very nice. It's hard to get the exposure right on white birds in the sunshine -- I've practiced and practiced and still don't get it right sometimes. But you got the grey feathers beautifully.

[MiniChris]

Another possibility in a confined space is to only shoot part of the subject. Maybe a closer head shot. Also, you'll find that turning the camera vertically helps to compose in tight places. You still may not be able to get all the bird, but I suspect you could get enough to make a very dramatic composition and at the same time, get a more balanced framing.

[UtopianStardust]

Thanks guys. I'll make sure to take your advice and try what you suggested.

[LenG]

Aha! I'm sorry, I'm technologically handicapped. And I did not edit this. A friend of mine did. I think she used a website. Nothing fancy. x)

Ok. I was asking because of the white glow around the bird. That happens when some settings are too high, like clarity or detail in CS5.

As others have said, it really isn't a "bad" picture per se other than the black thing in the background. A different angle would be a definite improvement but try to get an angle with not so much backlighting. Backlighting can work well but not so much in this shot because of the white feathers. Just my 2 cents' worth.

[Dave Humphries]

Hello everyone. I would like you to please go all out and tell me what is wrong with this picture. Be brutally mean. I don't mind, I can take criticism. Yes, I know, this is a terrible picture, but it's the only way I can learn.

Hi Utopia,

Since you asked for us to be brutal and tell all, I will, and this might be a good way to learn as long as you don't get too 'down' about the picture and I fear you're already half way there with the statement that it is "terrrible" - well the first news is that it is NOT terrible, you should see some of mine.

I have not read the other replies yet as I type this, so this is my uninformed view which will inevitably repeat some things and may overlook others. It is also uninformed because there is no EXIF data attached, so I don't know what camera settings were used, nor which software you are using - in future it would help us to help you if that information is provided when first posting an image. It takes more time to second guess whether some problems are recoverable in PP or not if we don't know these things.

First thing I noticed is that it is over exposed and the highlights are blown on the back of the haed and wings. Maybe that is improvable in PP, maybe not - depends if shot RAW and what software you have as to whether I could suggest how to tackle it. At the shooting stage, a quick review of the LCD for histogram and/or look for blinkies would have revealed this and determined what you needed to do to correct it. If your camera doesn't have those features (sorry I have forgotten), that makes life more difficult, you'll just have to remember what happens in contrasty lighting like this and manually adjust exposure to allow for the metering getting it wrong.

The main subject is nice and sharp (and not over-sharpened either), however, there is a (probably PP induced) halo around it which tapers off into an unusual, peculiarly blurred and lit background - it just looks too unnatural to me.

Unfortunately, the branch the bird is standing on has also, at least on the right, treated this way too, when the eye expects it to be similar to the subject as they almost the same distance from the camera. It may just be it wasn't sharpened rather than being blurred.

The only other thing I see is a bit of deadspace on the right hand side, cropping about 15% off the width would fix that.

So, that's only four things, not that bad

Hope that helps,

[Lon Howard]

Dave has implied this by mentioning the deadspace on the right side, but a general rule is to have an animate being look into the frame (i.e., more space in front of the being) instead of looking out of it. But considering the confined area you were in, it's possible this wasn't possible ... )