I was at snettisham yesterday to try and capture the wader roost again, it was a very high tide and good numbers were in the pits. I have tried to be a bit different with this shot from the usual stuff I have got from there. Some will like it some won't.
Canon 1DS MK11, 500mm lens, 1.4x, 1/8, F14, ISO 200
not too sure about this one its a bit too busy for me and I would prefer it if the Oyster catchers in the background were not there. I think that makes sense
I admit I had to look quite hard to realise what I was seeing. I do like the idea but I think it might work better in a bigger format, just too much detail lost in such a small version.
Love its ambiguity! At this scale it looks like a football stadium with the oyc's as the crowd waving stuff and the knot as the pitch with the couple of oyc's as players. Brilliant parallel with a human scene and behaviour.
Well done Danny - nice to see your thinking out-of-the-box stuff - keep exploring this rich seam.
Posted by eric weight on March 3, 2010 at 12:27 PM
Hi Danny,
I hope you don't mind me saying that this doesn't quite work for me. I think that there are just too many different things happening as Ian has mentioned. The Oof bird in flight on the left and the blur of moving birds on the right detract from it as it stands (for me); but there are some great elements in it. I really like the mass of oystercatchers with the bright red bills all at the same angle, there is a great shot in there and there is another with just a few oystercatchers dotted among the dull grey birds, and I can see another interesting idea that I like in the blur of moving birds among the flock. I just think you have more excellent possibilities in there than one image can stand. A thought provoking shot though definitely. Just my opinion though. Eric
Posted by Rene de Heer on March 3, 2010 at 1:17 PM
Sorry Danny, a rather confusing image, doesnt work for me. Sometimes you can look a bit too far out of the box.....
Rene de Heer
Dont usually comment on your pictures Danny, never really feel qualified enough but I've got to say I love it. Was instantly recognisable and IMO portrays a busy roost with the comings and goings. The oystercatchers all looking the same way really make it for me. Something I must see for myself.
I knew you would like it John, right up your street. I am just trying to be different because I think the forum is becoming predictable a wee bit. It really needs to be seen big I agree but use your imagination and feel the roost.
Hi Danny. I think the few Oyster Catchers amongst the Knot make this image for me, they break up the distinct line between the two halves. A nice image.
Regards,
Paul.
I really like this. The border formed between the species is incredible giving some kind of horizon. The oystercatchers look very flat which gives me the impression of a billboard and strikes a real chord with the juxtaposition between nature and mankind.
I also get the feeling of claustrophobia with the individual oystercatchers trying to fight there way to their own.
The bigger the better for this really. Loads going on.
Got me thinking this one Danny !! Looks to be a very good image, but as presented here it's to small, I do like it however, just want to see it much much bigger.
Rob
PS. Out of interest do you know if a Peregrine visits the roost on a regular basis? it's just I'm after Peregrine attacking flock type images
Danny, I keep coming back to this, unsure of what to make of it. At first I had difficulty taking in what I was looking at due to the small size. Ultimately I think this probably works well on a large scale (not at NPN posting size) but I'm distracted by that thin horizontal wedge of blurred activity on the rhs. Well done you, though, for challenging us with something different!
I witnessed 2 or 3 roosts at Snettisham last year, and I found it very difficult to convey the sheer scale of what takes place as the birds move off of the mud flats and onto the lagoons - I got loads of shots from the beach and from the hides, some similar to this one, and none quite worked for me when reduced to 720px.
Rob - I have seen a Peregrine fly through the lagoon area. In fact, just as the birds were filling the small island where the photographers hide used to be. The roost then moved enmass to the other end of the lagoon - cheers Mr Peregrine.....3 hours waiting wasted for me ......
Certainly different Danny and full marks for that but after several viewings just doesn't work for me either (at least not at this size) and for the reasons already mentioned
Hello Everyone thanks for your comments I know it would be one of those shots.
I have just spoke to my personal tutor Andy Astbury and he has taught me something new today and that is how to put a link to a bigger image so follow this link to see one
I can appreciate that people have had difficulty looking at this image and hopefully you will make up your mind now or if you still think it is crap then I will strike you off the Christmas card list. I think sometimes I just get bored with taking the same old stuff and I am trying to do something different sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.
Not good hearing you say this Danny - 'I think the forum is becoming predictable a wee bit' and- 'I just get bored with taking the same old stuff' Ref the image I have a few the same from the day and unless I crop them really tight I cannot make a strong image from them,but with the crop I lose detail which I think has happened to the bigger image IMO
Posted by Andy Astbury on March 4, 2010 at 7:38 AM
Please note folks - I did not have anything to do with the image
The big image looks like two versions put together slightly out of register - what have you been doing Danny
Surely the RAW doesn't look like this Danny - it makes my eyes go funny
Hello Ian Thats you off the list Hey can you imagine this as a Jigsaw puzzle I struggle with postman pat.
Hello Craig I think you have the wrong end of the stick again I am certainly not having a dig at anyone far from it, its a dig at my own stuff and how sometimes I get into this safety mode which is something I always fall into. I think we all fall into it at some point. Its no problem I am glad this image has got a mixed responce, regarding the cropping I have only cropped top and bottom and not into the longest part so I don't where you were sitting, maybe Mars
Danny
Posted by Simon Litten on March 4, 2010 at 1:36 PM
Well I fall into the "love it" section - I don't see whats not to like: it's a wall of birds that shows the liquid movement of the knot, the regimental uniformity of the oystercatchers, how the natural world can form rigid straight lines...it says so much more than a straight-up portrait shot can. Nice one
I wasn't initially keen on the image when it first appeared but having now seen the larger version it is starting to grow on me. There's certainly a lot going on, but I think this is the images' strength, i.e. a real visual feast with lots for the eyes to explore.
I like it.
'I don't where you were sitting, maybe Mars'- No danny 'Norfolk' never saw you there I never implied you were having a go at anyone either 'Again',as you put it 'the forum is becoming predictable' not you,and as people look to you for ideas etc I don't think it was the best thing to say on a public forum
Lovely different shot. Its amazing that there is a uniform line across the shot with a few oystercatchers wondering around on the wrong side! Looks like another canvas type print is in order with this piece of art!
Discussion
28 repliesCanon 1DS MK11, 500mm lens, 1.4x, 1/8, F14, ISO 200
not too sure about this one its a bit too busy for me and I would prefer it if the Oyster catchers in the background were not there. I think that makes sense
I admit I had to look quite hard to realise what I was seeing. I do like the idea but I think it might work better in a bigger format, just too much detail lost in such a small version.
Love its ambiguity! At this scale it looks like a football stadium with the oyc's as the crowd waving stuff and the knot as the pitch with the couple of oyc's as players. Brilliant parallel with a human scene and behaviour.
Well done Danny - nice to see your thinking out-of-the-box stuff - keep exploring this rich seam.
I hope you don't mind me saying that this doesn't quite work for me. I think that there are just too many different things happening as Ian has mentioned. The Oof bird in flight on the left and the blur of moving birds on the right detract from it as it stands (for me); but there are some great elements in it. I really like the mass of oystercatchers with the bright red bills all at the same angle, there is a great shot in there and there is another with just a few oystercatchers dotted among the dull grey birds, and I can see another interesting idea that I like in the blur of moving birds among the flock. I just think you have more excellent possibilities in there than one image can stand. A thought provoking shot though definitely. Just my opinion though.
Rene de Heer
But the first image on your blog is just awesome, one of the best I have seen from Snettisham.
liam
I knew you would like it John, right up your street. I am just trying to be different because I think the forum is becoming predictable a wee bit. It really needs to be seen big I agree but use your imagination and feel the roost.
Danny
Regards,
Paul.
Very different - one to be viewed at a large size to be properly appreciated. Insperational image, well seen!
David
I really like this. The border formed between the species is incredible giving some kind of horizon. The oystercatchers look very flat which gives me the impression of a billboard and strikes a real chord with the juxtaposition between nature and mankind.
I also get the feeling of claustrophobia with the individual oystercatchers trying to fight there way to their own.
The bigger the better for this really. Loads going on.
Chris
Rob
PS. Out of interest do you know if a Peregrine visits the roost on a regular basis? it's just I'm after Peregrine attacking flock type images
Rob - I have seen a Peregrine fly through the lagoon area. In fact, just as the birds were filling the small island where the photographers hide used to be. The roost then moved enmass to the other end of the lagoon - cheers Mr Peregrine.....3 hours waiting wasted for me ......
I have just spoke to my personal tutor Andy Astbury
http://www.dannygreenphotography.com/pages/knot-and-oystercatchers-roosting.php
I can appreciate that people have had difficulty looking at this image and hopefully you will make up your mind now or if you still think it is crap then I will strike you off the Christmas card list. I think sometimes I just get bored with taking the same old stuff and I am trying to do something different sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.
Danny
The big image looks like two versions put together slightly out of register - what have you been doing Danny
Surely the RAW doesn't look like this Danny - it makes my eyes go funny
had a real good look at the big image and still dont like it Sorry
It just looks too messy with the Oyster catchers at the top.
The bottom bit dont look too bad and the more you look at it the more detail you can make out.
Tell you what it would make a bloody good Jigsaw puzzle
Oh well one less Christmas card this year
Hello Craig I think you have the wrong end of the stick again I am certainly not having a dig at anyone far from it, its a dig at my own stuff and how sometimes I get into this safety mode which is something I always fall into. I think we all fall into it at some point. Its no problem I am glad this image has got a mixed responce, regarding the cropping I have only cropped top and bottom and not into the longest part so I don't where you were sitting, maybe Mars
Danny
Simon
I like it.
Ian