Double-crested Cormorant

Good subject and very nice composition. It looks like the dark BG adversely affected your exposure, even at evaluative -2/3. The bird looks overexposed and the whites in the bill are pretty well blown. Setting the black point in levels to the edge of the histogram and adjusting the midpoint really improves the image.

I like the pose and the composition. The white background in the lower right corner distracts a bit.

The nits have already addressed, also the eye has no life. Thanks for posting.

I agree with Alan on the exposure and Juan on the eye. the detail and comp is good.

I think this forum oought to be better than brutal terms like "dead eye"!!!

I think suggestions for reworking and reprocessing an image one recognizes as a good composition is called for.

This is the 12 by 18 hanging in my Dining Room in a 20 by 26 inch gold frame!

Thanks for the positive aspects of the critiques.

Best,

Peter

Peter Wallack wrote: I think this forum oought to be better than brutal terms like "dead eye"!!!

I think suggestions for reworking and reprocessing an image one recognizes as a good composition is called for.

This is the 12 by 18 hanging in my Dining Room in a 20 by 26 inch gold frame!

Thanks for the positive aspects of the critiques.

Best,

Peter

Peter, I think Alan's suggestion on adjusting levels in the post processing is a good one. I'm also not seeing where your seeing the term "Dead Eye"

I'm a sorry that the critques, or lack of, have come across "brutal" to you. That is not the intent of NSN. Your image is well worthy of a 20 by 26 inch gold frame.

Alan

I will take your words seriously and revise my use of the word "brutal" to indeliquet. I believe the right use of the word FLAT to describe the eye would have told all on the forum that selecting the eye and adding contrast to it would have been the solution. I agree that I was guilty of duplicating indeliquet speech myself there. I could have just stated what was the problem and solution. I hope problem and solution becomes the paridym here rather than just the nit that cannot be solved. Those problems without solution need instruction more than nits.

Thanks all for your patience with this "Dennis Miller Type Rant."

Best,

Peter

Peter, I like the second post much better. I think the first one just got brightened too much or something. I see what folks are talking about the eye looking funny. I'm not sure what it is but it looks cloudy. Perhaps there is actually something wrong with this bird's eye.

Nice shot and great composition.

Greg wrote:

Perhaps there is actually something wrong with this bird's eye.

Peter, could very well be something wrong with the eye itself, maybe it is just the nictitating membrane covering the eye, these birds that fish in alligator infested waters do not survive long with only one functional eye, The original image looked a tad over exposed, maybe by as much as 1/2EV and the BG was a bit distracting due to the bright area on the lower right hand side, on the repost you did address both of this minor nits, and you fixed the eye pretty good, but the pupil seems out of place by a few millimeters, but not a big deal !!
I have looked at all the posts and can not find the term "dead eye" in any of them!!, I don't think it was meant in a derogatory or belittling way, I am sure it was meant to imply "lifeless", The brutal part is IMO your interpretation of the event, besides you don't have to agree with any one opinion rendered here, but by posting it is implied that you are indeed looking for some sort of input from your peers!!
In my case I don't mind any comments good or bad, complimentary or brutal, invariably I learn a lot from each and every one of them!!!
Keep up the good work!!! Congrats!!!

Interesting discussion so far. The repost is more accurately exposed IMO but has an artificial looking cutout look to it. The eye does appear to have its nictating mambrane mostly closed which does cause it to appear clouded or lacking a spark. I have shot these guys many times and am constantly throwing out the blinking eye shots. I really like the pose and composition.