2nd in series: Gray jay (with tail)

Posted by jnadler on Wed Feb 04, 2004 7:16 am

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Gray jay, Adirondacks
Canon 10D, 100-400, ISO 400, F6.7

Please help me critique the best placement of bird in frame/cropping. Should the bird be in horizontal center or off to one side? This is one of most self-satisfying bird photos I feel that I've taken. And for Greg Downing, I made sure the tail was not cut off!

Jeff Nadler
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by Alan Murphy on Wed Feb 04, 2004 7:52 am

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Jeff, I can see why you like it. The bird is nice and relaxed on a nice perch against a blue sky. As for cropping, not an easy one. The bird is looking left so I would want him on the right side of the frame, but that has you cutting off the tree. I would crop as close to the right side of the tree as you can. For printing, I might even clone out that small loose branch at lower right so I can crop in even more.
The angle is a little steep and I think some fill flash would have lightened up the dark left side of the bird.

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by Cliff Beittel on Wed Feb 04, 2004 8:17 am

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Other crops might work, but having the eye on the vertical centerline (as you do here) is a good place to be with a vertical bird portrait. Having the bill toward the camera foreshortens it and makes the angle seem steeper. I think catching it pointed left would be stronger.

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by Bill Whala on Wed Feb 04, 2004 9:56 am

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Cropping close to the right side of the tree and a corresponding amount off the top to retain proportions. This is an excellent shot and very worthy of getting the best presentation possible.

Bill Whala

"Aves of similar plumage tend to converge with one another"

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by AlexC on Wed Feb 04, 2004 12:50 pm

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Lovely bird and a wonderful tail!!

Image:
Nice perch and a very good exposure as well, wonderful light to boot, a tad steep but not a punishable violation, I would have waited for the head to be parallel with the film plain!!, Congrats!!!

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by Carol Clarke on Thu Feb 05, 2004 4:19 am

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I agree with Bill on this one, beautiful shot and just a little off top and right would set it off perfectly IMHO.

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by BrianS on Thu Feb 05, 2004 7:53 pm

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Very nice -- I like the angle you selected to take here. Good exposure in tough lighting.

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