Hello Jack,
an interesting shot indeed and I cannot make up my mind if it works for me or not. I think the inclusion of the pipe is too distracting but if I crop it out altogether the balance doesn't look right so I can see where you are coming from there. However, the crop that pleases my eye most is if you crop the top of the pipe to just below the right hand highlight. That gives an anchor point for the icicles (which are great and I can imagine what it would be like with an old stone bridge or similar) but gets rid of that ugly bracket on the top side of pipe.
Still, an unusual image and very different from the norm.
Doesn't quite work for me Jack if I'm honest, mainly because of the ugly pipe and the bird appears a little too dark.
Although saying that, it depends what you're after.
I guess, whilst birds in attractive settings are something we often strive for, there's also a very valid space in one's portfolio for creatures in a wide variety of habitats, including ones with man-made elements, as seen here.
For some reason seeing the dipper in this hostile environment started me thinking of that Monty Python Sketch - 'I 'ad ter live in paper bag in middle of road' etc. The black and white scheme, the steel pipe, threatening icicles and freezing torrent lend a distinct sense of isolation and misery to the environment. Still the brave dipper struggles on (and is probably happy with his lot)...
Interesting picture which -after looking at it for a while- works for me. However the pipe is nevertheless too distracting in my eyes and I think you should try cropping it as Robert describes.
Ive always liked B&W bird/nature images Jack, although i feel it works better in certain situations, than others.
This doesn't quite work for me, as there is too much {too many competing elements} going on in the frame. As a general rule with B&W.............less is often more {at least for me}, and maybe a narrow pano crop of the bottom half would 'simplify' the image.
Although that may risk losing what you were intending to convey, it may make it more suited to the B&W treatment
Lots to like in this shot Jack, but I just keep wondering if that pipe might look better in colour if it is rusty or covered in algae. Definitley a perfectly good 'surviving in a man-made envioronment' type of shot. Eric
Discussion
9 replies350D + 300mm F4L + 1.4 extender
1/30 @ F25
ISO 400
Full frame
an interesting shot indeed and I cannot make up my mind if it works for me or not. I think the inclusion of the pipe is too distracting but if I crop it out altogether the balance doesn't look right so I can see where you are coming from there. However, the crop that pleases my eye most is if you crop the top of the pipe to just below the right hand highlight. That gives an anchor point for the icicles (which are great and I can imagine what it would be like with an old stone bridge or similar) but gets rid of that ugly bracket on the top side of pipe.
Still, an unusual image and very different from the norm.
Although saying that, it depends what you're after.
I guess, whilst birds in attractive settings are something we often strive for, there's also a very valid space in one's portfolio for creatures in a wide variety of habitats, including ones with man-made elements, as seen here.
Good thought provoking image.
Tim
I like this! I think it works well as a Man and Nature image! It shows how birds don't just live in total wildness!
This doesn't quite work for me, as there is too much {too many competing elements} going on in the frame. As a general rule with B&W.............less is often more {at least for me}, and maybe a narrow pano crop of the bottom half would 'simplify' the image.
Although that may risk losing what you were intending to convey, it may make it more suited to the B&W treatment
Only my opinion though
Alan
I like it, but I'm a what you see is what you get sort of person. I agree with Paul shows how nature survives and adapts.
Barry
Eastbourne / Kansas
Robert