Greenshank and the Leaf

Nice light Ilia. I would consider a tighter crop. I don't think the plant on the left really adds to the image to justify all the space on the left..

very nice lighting! i wonder if a tighter crop really works , cause i'm not sure if I would want to loose the reflection; so, personally i would only cropp off a part of the bottom;

Sweet light and good sharpness, Ilia!
Would go for a tighter crop as well.
I think loosing the reflection is okay since it's not a perfect one anyway ...

This is real nice. I like the bird and all the warm tones. I don't think the reflection helps at all so I would say to crop half up to where the bright water ends. This will make the picture a horizontal which would feel more stable therefore serene . The picture will then be balanced more between the left side and the right side. ( Think of horizontals as a book or something else horizontal and the stability that shape has when its laying flat as opposed to when its standing on end. Thats why landscapes are most of the time horizontals. They need to look peaceful and stable and natural(not all the time of course). I think this would also have the benefit of giving more weight to the plant, which I wish was further back in the scene to create a feeling of depth going back into the picture.

Ilia,

Though I agree with the comments a tighter crop would accent the bird better and lossing the reflection would be OK, you need to consider what you like about the shot and what mood you are trying to project.

I would suggest (a) the tighter crop to create a intimate portrait of the bird and (b) add a bit of room to the left to give the small plant a bit more room. I like the image now as is except the plant is a bit crowded by the edge of the frame. Even a bit of canvas and some cloning if that is the edge of the RAW image would work.

Then you will have two beautiful images, each with a different feel and mood. Of course the ultimate choice is up to the artist.

All nitting aside, you have a great image here. The light and BG are wonderful and the bird is just right with the slight head turn and catch light in the eye. Nice work. :)

Very sweet; I like the plant. Only way to improve it would be to get even lower (but I relalize that that was likely impossible).
Best and love, artie

Thank you all for your comments and opinions, I am appreciate that very much!
Robert, I think if the plant was placed a little bit to the right its was better,
but I do not want to move it with PS, and its a full frame so I dont have more space
in the left side .
Arthur, I was lying on the edge of the lake so my camera is just 20 cm (less or more)
above the watter line.

Despite various comments to the contrary, I like this composition as is; the plant, even though fairly small, does provide some balance. I also like that it's in the plane of focus; there are enough ripples receding into the BG to provide any needed sense of depth. I also like the included reflection, as it provides compositional balance along the other axis. A reflection needn't be crisp and clear to be worthy of inclusion. Some of the cropping that's being suggested would make this one less interesting in my opinion.

This bird looks like a pretty fesh juvie; August ?

Very nice light and a wonderful photo.

Nicely done, the plant adds a nice element of habitat to the shot.

Jason

Great shot Ilia, I love it how it is and wouldn't change a thing. :)

Ilia,

This is a beautiful image. Very well done.

Ilia,
That's cool with me as it looks just A OK the way it is right know. Like I said, yours is the ultimate choice. This is one nice image that I would be proud of. Wish it were mine.

berserk wrote: Robert, I think if the plant was placed a little bit to the right its was better,
but I do not want to move it with PS, and its a full frame so I dont have more space
in the left side .

Great shot. Crop not needed. Bird, reflection, and leaf form nice triange composition. Nice work.

Bob

Thank you all again!

Mike Danzenbaker wrote: This bird looks like a pretty fesh juvie; August ?

Mike what do you mean by "fesh juvie"?
This photo was made just two days ago in Israel...
If that was the question...

Just when I thought I was getting halfway ok at birds something like this comes along and I want to take up bowling.

Wow, a real stunner. Bravo, Ilia!

I do not agree with all these folks that want you to change stuff. It rocks as is.

Wow, killer light and I love that BG! Agree with comments about cropping from bottom but still a very nice image Ilia!

berserk wrote:Thank you all again!

Mike Danzenbaker wrote: This bird looks like a pretty fesh juvie; August ?

Mike what do you mean by "fesh juvie"?
This photo was made just two days ago in Israel...
If that was the question...

Sorry for the typo; I meant fresh juvenile !

I like this one as presented, and can imagine the tighter crop would work nicely too.
Regardless, it's lovely.