Can one of a photo’s strengths also be a weakness? I’m asking for help in evaluating this one.
1/2000, f/6.3, ISO 250, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
Three days ago in the mountains I sat at this usually productive tree for about half an hour waiting for cooperative birds to appear but this Cedar Waxwing was my only taker. ‘He’ posed long enough for me to get many photos and this is one of my favorites. But I’m ambivalent about the photo for the following reasons.
Typically I’m not a fan of plain blue sky backgrounds and this electric blue is pretty intense. I also usually prefer to actually see most or all of the bird in my photos rather than having much of its body obstructed by vegetation, as is the case here.
But… I really like the composition of the photo and except for a small portion of the red stem and a couple of leaves at lower right the entire perch is sharp, as is the bird. And one of the things I don’t like actually has strong appeal for me but on a different level.
Yes, those three leaves block our view of about half of the waxwing but one of them conforms exactly to the profile of the of the bird’s back and the another one seems to curl around and envelop the left side of the waxwing in almost a protective way. For me the overall effect of those two features makes the bird almost become part of the tree. I like that as a visual symbol of the interdependence of nature.
So I’m waffling about the photo and I’m probably overanalyzing anyway.
How about a little help from my friends? A keeper or not?
If you have an opinion please be brutally honest.
Ron
Very late here but this is why I like Escher artistic migration of one to another: love this!
Total keeper! The waxwing looks like a bud about to bloom. 💗
Hi Ron,
I understand your dilemma but this is such a unique photo it’s definitely a keeper. My reasoning: the rich blue sky contrasts nicely with the red branches and green leaves while showcasing the Cedar Waxwing. The normal thought of leaves blocking the view of a bird is not the case here because the leaves match the shape of the bird perfectly. To have this happen should be considered a big plus and not a negative. The small amount not sharp doesn’t bother me at all. Lastly, the rich blue sky might look fake to most people if they don’t live where you are. Rarely seen because of haze from humidity and pollution in most of the country. I don’t comment often but I want you to know your blog is a definite bright spot in my day. Thanks for sharing.
I’m late to the party but the photo is sharp, the colors are intense, the composition is unusual and thought provoking. A keeper.
Some artists deliberately provide images where animals look like they have arisen from natural objects or their pattern blends in with the vegetation. I think it is amazing that you took a photo that looks like Bev Doolittle’s art.
It’s a keeper to me but it’s likely that not everyone enjoys this art style.
I echo EC’s comment about the leaves cradling the cedar waxwing.I’d have used embraced, but our minds worked along the same themes 😉
BTW, no need to test gravity! It still works. I’ve been reduced from a bi-pedal organism to a sick for the next 11-12 weeks! I was going to say pogo stick, bur pogo sticks CAN be useful at times!
What the hell happened, Laura?
Echoing Ron.
And sending healing wishes your way.
Thanks very much for your feedback so far everyone!
I’ve been out shooting all morning so I haven’t responded to individual comments and this way the results fell where they did without any influence from my responses.
By my count the results are as follows (I had to do a little interpretation on a couple of them) : Keeper – 18, Not A Keeper – 2, Didn’t Choose One Or The Other – 3. What I appreciate at least as much as your ‘vote’ is the fact that with one exception, a person who said only a curt “negative”, everyone explained what they liked and/or didn’t like about the photo.
This kind of feedback is very helpful to me. Much appreciated!
A keeper all the way Ron. After three weeks of wildfire smoke that blue sky looks mighty welcoming. I like the way the waxwing appears as if it is part of the tree in a regal and statuesque pose.
I really like the way those leaves ‘cradle’ the bird. That bright blue sky is less to my liking, and almost harsh.
By my (much less stringent) standards I would be over the moon to have it, and it would definitely be a keeper.
I understand where you are coming from though. It does look almost artificial, even though it isn’t. A keeper, but not a favourite.
Award-winning gorgeous. The leaf that trails off the right edge along with the branch is perfection to me. The eye travels up to the bird. The leaves on the bird…the blue sky…everything about this is marvelous, professor.
OH! We were sitting in the driveway watching the hot air balloons and my husband pointed out a bird. It was a goldfinch. 😀
My opinion is the only one that counts…in my opinion…and I love it! 😇
What I love about this is the wide variation on opinion – why they like it, why they don’t. Amazing. Reminds me how rich we are in our reactions.
KEEPER!!!! Very Artistic and pleasing. I love the beautiful blue sky as a backdrop for a gorgeous bird and the habitat shows how natural it looks.
As a birder, I really like this picture. It’s a great crisp shot of the bird but also shows the most likely place to find Waxwings. The very top of trees, right next to the blue sky. I think it’s lovely.
I vote with the “keeper” crowd. I actually really like that intense blue sky, think anything else for background would make it overly busy considering the leaves. I take no offense at them, either. Waxies aren’t usually found in uncluttered habitats!
It’s a gorgeous picture but to me the focus is on the leaves and branches and oh! yeah there is a perfect picture of part of the waxwing I find myself admiring the branch and focusing on the leaves. The bird is almost incidental and the picture would be a good picture even without the waxwing. But that is one clear picture of the waxwing with the catchlight and clear picture of an actually still waxwing! So I go both ways!
High point, of course the gorgeous Waxwing, the blue sky and the red branches 😁 Low point, those leaves 😕
We could be looking at no bird considering it was the only one that landed in the tree ❗️
If it were cropped so the leaves were the bottom border, I’d probably like this shot better. As it is now, this image kind of bugs me. While I know better, the leaves almost look Photoshopped.
Love the sky, not too wild about the leaves hiding the bird. But hey it is a beautiful Cedar waxwing which negates the other.
I love it , the bird appears to be growing like a beautiful “bloom” emerging from the foliage !
I agree! At first I hardly saw the leaves.
Any Waxwing picture that is focused and has a catch light in the eye is a keeper in my book. But then my standards for my photography may just a teensy bit lower than yours! I like this picture because this is how you usually see Waxwings through binoculars, through leaves and sticks.
‘Au naturel’. It speaks to me and I like it for that very reason.
I say “keeper” The sky doesn’t bother me and I love the way the leaves gently enfold the waxwing like it’s “snuggied down in them………😀
First it is an excellent photo regarding sharpness color etc, but my first thought looking at it was that it is unreal. To me it looks like a display in a natural history museum. But again, a beautiful photo that I would be proud to have had I taken it. Excellent idea on your part to get us thinking critically and forcing us to be very observant at this early hour. Definitely the work of a retired teacher. 🙂
A beautiful photograph Ron. I like the way the waxwing fits in with the lines of the tree and leaves. The head and crest of the bird is contrasted nicely with the sky. The red branch and green of the leaves compliment each other well as does the yellower leaves with the blue sky. The photo does well conveying the crispness of the start of fall also. Very nice photo!
As an artist and a designer, I give an unequivocal yes to this photo! It’s eye-catching, it’s elegant, I feel, and any coincidence as beautiful as this one is noteworthy. And there’s another coincidence you haven’t noted. It’s the similarity between that beautiful profile of the Cedar waxwings head, and the shape of the leaves. Interestingly, I’m not sure if I would elect to paint this, out of my imagination. That would seem too forced. What’s so delightful I think, is that it is a spontaneous observation in nature. It may not be the clearest illustration of a Cedar waxwing ever, but it is certainly a magnificent and joyful celebration of serendipity.
I understand and respect that as a former teacher, your mission was always to avoid ambiguity when trying to deliver the topic on hand. Now, as you are a lover of beauty, and a human being who knows about the fragility of life all too well, I most strongly suggest do you embrace every opportunity to consult your heart as you review your photos as well as your life. I’m dictating, so please overlook obvious errors.
Oh yea, I love the photo. But, understand I’m not much of an artist. I like images of birds where they land, in their habitat, surrounded by their element.
If I had a priority I would want more habitat. But, I understand the artist in you.
Now, if I was looking for a shot that I could use as identifying characteristics, that is a different story. Than I would set the image aside, keep it, but be looking for an image that shows more of the bird, its wings, tail, etc.
Its a keeper in my book! Sorry, if that is not much help.
I think it’s a keeper because it is a beautiful representation of the waxwing in habitat, because i like the intense blue, and because it is different from other photos with its covering of leaves. Judging all things by one singular and rigid standard is just boring.
Definitely a keeper, I really like it. The way the one leaf aligns with the bird’s body is one of the first things I noticed. I like the way all the leaves draw the eye up and make a nice formal contrast with the bold horizontal of the bird’s crest and beak. It’s a great composition, and the blue uncluttered background makes it really crisp and clean. That Cedar Waxwing looks very confident and almost heroic.
negative