Neotropic Cormorants (Phalacrocorax Brasilianus) rest in the branches of trees that are barely visible in the thick morning fog that hangs over Lake Houston in Humble, Texas, USA.
[Jan. 7th, 2016 11:23:55 PM]
This is my 100th challenge entry and I am really happy with how it is performing. It looks like it will become my highest scoring monthly free study as well as the highest score with the lens and just maybe a front page result (I know it is going to be close). I am surprised that my 100th entry was not my typical wildlife or macro photograph and that it was taken with my older camera that has become my always on me camera. Which is why I was able to get this shot.
Thank you for the votes and all the comments.
Statistics
Place: 3 out of 126 Avg (all users): 6.7922 Avg (commenters): 8.1250 Avg (participants): 6.6909 Avg (non-participants): 7.0455 Views since voting: 1811 Views during voting: 135 Votes: 77 Comments: 13 Favorites: 3 (view)
I really struggled with the crop on this one. I only had one lens with me (an equivalent 35mm prime) so was pretty limited in what was included in frame. I really liked the natural vignetting that came out in the photo. If I cropped to place the trees higher the photo seemed to dark with all the black at the bottom and if I cropped to place them lower I lost the black on the bottom that I really liked. So.......in the end I went with no crop........really should have shot a few more frames with a bit different composition but was standing on a busy bridge in heavy fog with cars doing 70mph past me and wanted to get the shot and get out of there. With µ4/3 you have twice the DoF compared to full frame so I really shot higher then ƒ5.6, in this shot I went with ƒ4.0 and the resulting shutter speed. I could have stopped down more but I am a wildlife photographer and never really think about how landscape people shoot at those crazy small apertures.....I prefer wide and fast :-)
Aw dang, a ribbon winner....always the toughest to critique as the vox populi have already spoken and voted. So will do my best. *looking for flaws*.....hmmmm....this could take awhile. *off to refill wineglass*
OK. Your comp is a little centred, but that happens a lot in images where the minimalistic approach rules, as it does here. I recognized the birds as cormorants because we have them here too though I don't think in the winter months. Nice gentle leading motion from left to right with a variety of scale in terms of the silhouettes. Nice that you have a perfectly calm surface to work with. A little surprised that you shot so fast, but who am I to argue? There is almost a natural level of vignetting happening too here, both above and below. You did a great job here, congrats on the ribbon and keep up the good work!
The Unknown
Add photograph to your favorites
Add photographer to your favorites
Photographer found comment helpful.
