![\"northern](\"http:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/northern-harrier-9822-ron-dudley.jpg\")
<\/p>\nI’m hoping to get some feedback from my viewers on this one.<\/p>\n
Almost from day one with my bird photography I’ve labored under the impression that good eye contact with my subject is vital, almost essential, for a strong image.\u00a0 But that’s a premise I’m beginning to question to some degree.<\/p>\n
I don’t think there’s any question that a good look at the eye almost always makes for a stronger image.\u00a0 Direct eye contact is often even better.\u00a0 But no image is perfect – they all have strengths and weaknesses and I’m\u00a0wondering if I sometimes put too much\u00a0importance on eye contact over other desirable traits of an image.<\/p>\n
Below are three images of male Northern Harriers.\u00a0 Each has strengths and weaknesses.\u00a0 My previous impulse would have been to shun the last two shots because of a poor look at the eye, even though they have other strengths the first image does not.\u00a0 Now I’m not so sure…<\/p>\n
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\u00a01\/4000, f\/6.3, ISO 500, 500 f\/4, natural light, not baited, set up or called in<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n In this photo\u00a0the bird has an interesting wing position and it’s nicely separated from the horizon below.\u00a0 And I have great eye contact but the bird is “only flying” and there’s nothing else interesting going on.\u00a0 And besides, it could be said that\u00a0looking at the photographer isn’t really a “natural behavior” anyway…<\/p>\n Note:\u00a0 If you’re wondering what the brown is at top right, the background is water, not sky, and the brown at top and bottom are land.\u00a0 I could clone or crop the\u00a0top brown out. \u00a0 I had to add canvas to this image for composition.\u00a0 <\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a01\/2500, f\/6.3, ISO 500, 500 f\/4, 1.4 tc, natural light, not baited, set up or called in<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n Here the\u00a0bird is looking away from the viewer.\u00a0 But, <\/em>the harrier has prey and there’s blood on its foot.\u00a0\u00a0For me the prey (a vole)\u00a0is a huge bonus, perhaps even mitigating the lack of eye contact.\u00a0 I’m just not sure…<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a01\/4000, f\/6.3, ISO 500, 500 f\/4, natural light, not baited, set up or called in<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n In this shot the “other strength” of the image is more subtle.\u00a0 Hunting harriers are notorious among photographers for looking down while hunting low and slow over the ground instead of giving eye contact to the viewer.\u00a0 This shot shows typical hunting behavior and includes the terrain at bottom over which the\u00a0 bird is hunting.\u00a0 It also demonstrates the flight attitude (body angle to the horizon or “level”) often necessary\u00a0while flying so slowly.\u00a0 But the look at the eye is somewhat\u00a0weak.<\/p>\n Any thoughts on all this?\u00a0 How much do you think the lack of good eye contact in the last two images weakens the shots?\u00a0\u00a0Have I been\u00a0placing too much significance on eye contact?<\/p>\n If you have an opinion I’d appreciate any input.<\/p>\n Ron<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" I’m hoping to get some feedback from my viewers on this one. Almost from day one with my bird photography I’ve labored under the impression that good eye contact with my subject is vital, almost essential, for a strong image.\u00a0 But that’s a premise I’m beginning to question to some degree. I don’t think there’s any question that a good look at the eye almost always makes for a stronger image.\u00a0 Direct eye contact is often even better.\u00a0 But no image is perfect – they all have strengths and weaknesses and I’m\u00a0wondering if I sometimes put too much\u00a0importance on eye contact over other desirable traits of an image. Below are three images of male Northern Harriers.\u00a0 Each has strengths and weaknesses.\u00a0 My previous impulse would have been to shun the last two shots because of a poor look at the eye, even though they have other strengths the first image does not.\u00a0 Now I’m not so sure… \u00a01\/4000, f\/6.3, ISO 500, 500 f\/4, natural light, not baited, set up or called in In this photo\u00a0the bird has an interesting wing position and it’s nicely separated from the horizon below.\u00a0 And I have great eye contact but the bird is “only flying” and there’s nothing else interesting going on.\u00a0 And besides, it could be said that\u00a0looking at the photographer isn’t really a “natural behavior” anyway… Note:\u00a0 If you’re wondering what the brown is at top right, the background is water, not sky, and the brown at top and bottom are land.\u00a0 I could clone or…<\/p>\n![\"northern](\"http:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/northern-harrier-6735-ron-dudley.jpg\")
<\/em><\/p>\n![\"northern](\"http:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/northern-harrier-9740-ron-dudley.jpg\")
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