Owl III

Something doesn't quite look right to me, but I can't work out what it is.
Maybe the owl needs brightening?

Actually it's very nice - like it very much. Excellent composition and colour and a really interesting subject.

I wouldn't brighten the owl, otherwise you'll blow out the highlights completely. It's a tad bright as it is, but just within OK.

Brilliant picture!

I think the plumage is just fine, you have plenty of shades in there which is quite an achievement. I think if there is a problem then it's the rather interesting door and hinges are competing with your owl. All the energy of the picture is in the diagonals of the door and the poor old owl is sitting there in the firing line when he should be dominating.

I'd say you only need a tiny bit of context for the owl so lose 90% or all of the door and lose some from the left as well. Then your owl will shine forth.

Personally I'd heave half a brick at the owl and concentrate on that door but hey birds are just NOT my thing.

Mike

Thanks for the comments, good food for thought.

I think my screen needs calibrating if two of you think the Owl exposure is about right, its quite dark on mine.

I'll be printing it anyway so I can get the exposure right then, I always do a 6x4 test print to get these things right.

And you're quite right Mike that is a lovely door, I love photographing grot and decay as well.

Beautiful shot! I think the exposure/levels are spot on. My personal feeling would be to crop/zoom in slightly (so that the top and bottom of the shutter are not seen), simplifying the composition.

Not too dark I'm sure although I don't have a calibrated monitor - I have set it to see all the shades of grey on that site that has them on its home page.

One thing I would say is that the owl is in danger of being relatively bright against the almost black background and might glow a bit? I'd be interested to know what John thinks about that.

Mike

Well, as I said, "I wouldn't brighten the owl, otherwise you'll blow out the highlights completely. It's a tad bright as it is, but just within OK."

However, the upside is that despite being borderline too bright, that does mean it competes successfully against that fascinating frame. My eye at least looks at the owl, not the frame, but then lingers around the fame before returning to the owl. If the owl were darker I think it would fall apart. (Not the owl, poor thing, the composition!)

The owl is not dark. Its fine. on my screen.
The only thing really is a bit cropping that might be done.
Just a bit, if you cant otherwise.

But I must say, that I like that its not only a portrait of the owl. I like that the owl is part of the surroundings.

Here's my shot at it, hope you don't mind

[IMG]http://i453.photobucket.com/albums/qq253/jackitec/owl.jpg[/IMG]

Don't mind in the slightest, all comments and thoughts always appreciated.

The issue I have with your crop is the dark area to the top and the right of the owl, I think you need something there to stop your eye leaving the picture at the edge.

I have come to the conclusion that a crop is needed somewhere though.

Maybe just crop out the black area see what it looks like, anyway I think you have 2 photos here, one of the Owl and one of the door, nice work, Jack.

[IMG]http://i453.photobucket.com/albums/qq253/jackitec/door.jpg[/IMG]

This is the crop I was getting at:




But after reading John's comments, now I'm not so sure! We can be in too much of a rush to make things punchy and simplifed sometimes...

I ment sth like that:

Tim I think that you're right about the top right corner so crop even more from there?

Mike

I like Pentaxophile's crop, but as long as you get rid of that piece of timber along the top of the image, then this image is a great one. Excellent.