Mallard
by cynthiann

Comment by bassbone:
Cynthia - I think this entry is really close! I think the details on the bird are really pretty solid- especially as the bird is looking at you but is not dead straight on.

For areas that I think could be modified to score better (if that is what you are after).

1. Water color choice - The extreme blue color makes this a bit too unnatural compared to the good colors of the bird itself. Toning back the hue and saturation adjustment just a bit really would have made this seem more real.

2. The crop seems a bit tight in the vertical direction. The length of the photo and the negative space on both sides of the duck is right on the money, but the vertical direction seems far too closed to me as a viewer.

3. The somewhat harsh light on the duck seems to limit the amount of details in the feathers we might be able to get.

Here is a quick edit with a bit of adjustment in the blue hue and a drop in saturation, and a cloning in of some more of the water to provide more room for the duck to breathe.

I don't know if it is better, but it was the first couple things I thought of to bring up the score for the DPC viewers.



Oh, and by backing off on the darkness of the blue - we can see more details in the ripples around the duck!

p.s. I hope you don't mind me taking a crack at an edit!

Message edited by author 2008-02-05 13:36:41.

Mallard
by cynthiann

Comment by moondog:
WOW awesome blue

Mallard
by cynthiann

Comment by sailracer_98:
Cool water, though it's a bit unnatural looking.

Mallard
by cynthiann

Comment by Natasha:
Theperfect circle around the bird gives a great balance to this

Mallard
by cynthiann

Comment by nikolaos:
The blue seem to much saturated.

Mallard
by cynthiann

Comment by BrianR:
The water is a little over blue.

Mallard
by cynthiann

Comment by FrankRobinson:
A little TOO much saturation here - it hurts the eyes!

Mallard
by cynthiann

Comment by Melethia:
I like the ripples and the richness of the water but on my monitor it appears almost too blue! (May well have been that blue for all I know, though.)

Mallard
by cynthiann

Comment by wardmac:
Focus is soft around the eyes, but nice catchlight in the eyes. Colors might be a bit over-saturated for my taste. And I wish he was off to the right of the screen since he is moving left. That way he is moving into the scene and not out of the center of the photo.

Mallard
by cynthiann

Comment by KarenNfld:
What brilliant colours! Maybe a bit oversaturated but it certainly pops.