We've had major snowfalls this winter and its been hard going for the birds. This fieldfare was attracted by the food we'd put out in the garden and posed long enough for me to capture a few frames. We're in an upside-down house - bedrooms downstairs, kitchen and living area upstairs so this was taken at eye-level out of the back window (so no suffering in freezing hides!). I loved the pattern of snow covered ash branches. And this is just to prove I dont always do out-of-focus drag shots of dead trees! Have a good New Year!
Beautiful shot with the fieldfare acting as a delightful punctuation of color. Would it have been possible to position the bird out of centre and still retain the pattern in the trees or did you have to put him in the centre to keep the background consistent?
Posted by Philip Newman on January 1, 2010 at 11:40 AM
Hey John this is quite stunning, love the patterns of the snow covered braches and small size of the bird - a gorgeous image. Also thought about cropping bottom and RH side to take bird out of the centre of the frame - but then thought no, like it as it is.
Posted by Craig Jones on January 1, 2010 at 1:58 PM
Hi folks - glad this tickles your fancy. Well I tried the 'classic compositional thing' and decided I didnt like it. It seemed to be too 'predictable' if you know what I mean?
Andy P. - My iniital attraction was the tree pattern, and the bird just happened to land there as I was doing my thing and I felt that the central placement wasn't too terrible and actually quite appropriate. Probably because it meant that the bird became secondary to the pattern of branch and snow, and as the bird is not placed where you expect it to be the tree assumes dominance and then you are 'rewarded' by finding the small bird.
Well that was my thinking, could be a load of old cobblers though!
I am, I must confess attracted to the grander scene with wildlife, and love 'wildlife landscape' shots where theres a wider view and something that links the wildlife subject to the bigger scene. I find that shots which are to 'tight' on the subject might just as well be zoo shots because none of the habitat is visible.
Posted by Mark Sisson on January 2, 2010 at 1:25 PM
Posted by Liam Pauling on January 3, 2010 at 11:31 AM
Great shot John, I love the shapes of the branches.
liam.
Posted by jack chapman on January 3, 2010 at 2:38 PM
really like this John great patterns and composition though i must say it seems kind of creative to me, unless of course by creative you mean partially visible or blurry
Discussion
15 replies1DMk3, 70-200 f2.8
Craig
www.craigchurchill.co.uk
Cheers
JohnR
Have a good year
Ian
Beautiful shot with the fieldfare acting as a delightful punctuation of color. Would it have been possible to position the bird out of centre and still retain the pattern in the trees or did you have to put him in the centre to keep the background consistent?
Cheers
Andy
I'd like to echo the above. Really nice pattern and depth. The size in the frame is perfect.
Chris
Des
Andy P. - My iniital attraction was the tree pattern, and the bird just happened to land there as I was doing my thing and I felt that the central placement wasn't too terrible and actually quite appropriate. Probably because it meant that the bird became secondary to the pattern of branch and snow, and as the bird is not placed where you expect it to be the tree assumes dominance and then you are 'rewarded' by finding the small bird.
Well that was my thinking, could be a load of old cobblers though!
I am, I must confess attracted to the grander scene with wildlife, and love 'wildlife landscape' shots where theres a wider view and something that links the wildlife subject to the bigger scene. I find that shots which are to 'tight' on the subject might just as well be zoo shots because none of the habitat is visible.
Mark
liam.