![\"\"](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/willow-flycatcher-6368-ron-dudley.jpg\" "\\"willow-flycatcher-6368-ron-dudley\\"")
<\/p>\nA double conundrum, actually – composition and ID.<\/p>\n
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1\/6400, f\/6.3, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/p>\n Yesterday in the mountains this flycatcher came from out of nowhere and landed right in front of me. I didn’t even know it was nearby so its appearance was a serendipitous event on an otherwise very slow morning of shooting. It only stayed for about four seconds but I was able to get a few sharp shots and this is one of them.<\/p>\n It’s most likely a Willow Flycatcher but I don’t know that for sure. The habitat is right for a Willow Flycatcher and I hear them in the area but this one wasn’t making one of its distinctive calls that allows for a positive ID. Empidonax flycatchers can be very difficult to ID without call confirmation so this one will probably remain a mystery.<\/p>\n When I’m processing images like this one for presentation on my blog I often struggle with how to crop them – horizontally or vertically. With the leaves at lower right this horizontal crop gives us at least a hint of pleasing habitat but it includes a twig at upper left that I find slightly annoying. Yes, I could get rid of that twig but I prefer not to.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n A vertical crop shows the bird larger in the frame and includes much more detail but I find the image slightly sterile as I often do with BOAS (bird on a stick) images that don’t include at least some habitat.<\/p>\n So I’d be interested to know if my readers have a preference. I’ve asked a similar question about photos in the past but this time I’d like to better explain my motivation for asking.<\/p>\n Readers often respond to that question by saying “it depends on your purpose.” If the image is meant for something like a field guide or an interpretive display or signage for a bird refuge or museum the vertical crop might be preferred for its better detail showing field marks of the species. But if it’s meant simply for aesthetic purposes (prints, etc.) the horizontal crop would often be the preferred choice.<\/p>\n But in this and many other cases my purpose is none of the above, instead it’s for presentation on my blog. Some of my readers prefer detail, some prefer aesthetics and others oscillate back and forth depending on the image.<\/p>\n So once again, I’m asking. What is your preference for this particular image if you have one?<\/p>\n Thanks in advance.<\/p>\n Ron<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Addendum: In comments below Wendy and Melanie suggested I crop out the twig in a horizontal presentation. Here’s the result:<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n For me it works pretty well, although I’ve lost the 5×7 aspect ratio that I usually prefer. So I guess this is a third possible choice..<\/em><\/p>\n On a somewhat related note, just before I photographed this flycatcher there were two moose within 40′ of me but they were so deeply buried in the willows I could barely see either one. Talk about frustrating for a nature photographer!<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A double conundrum, actually – composition and ID.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/willow-flycatcher-6368-vertical-comp-ron-dudley.jpg\" "\\"willow-flycatcher-6368-vertical\\"")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/willow-flycatcher-6368-suggested-crop-ron-dudley.jpg\" "\\"willow-flycatcher-6368-suggested-crop-ron-dudley\\"")
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