Asher Kelman
OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Don Cohen said:I agree that creating an "artistic" bird photograph can be challenging. Sometimes using a wider angle and providing the environmental setting in which it lives can help, and other times capturing an elegant movement or body position will give the effect. And certainly dramatic lighting will enhance just about any photograph, but can't be created on demand!
In fact, this is not a bad topic for a separate thread - providing examples of bird (or other wildlife) photographs that have a more explicit 'artistic' component, at least compared to a well-taken photograph that might be great for birders, or bird guide books.
In this cormorant shot, I would be interested to see how it would change if a lower shooting angle were possible (e.g. parallel to the water, so that the background is the surrounding scene, woods, shoreline, or whatever it might be, rather than the water behind it). And shooting at a wider angle might incorporate enough of the environment to give a sense of the bird's 'home.' This doesn't take anything away from this perfectly good shot, and is offered to provide some additional approaches the next time you're out shooting.
So here we are! Let's see what you have in the way of approaches to making the artistic bird photograph, perhaps using some of Don's suggestions or other ideas you have.
Please give a brief background for the picture and how it was approached and then the camera details and the processing.
If the picture is part of a series, show up to 4 related images but then explain the set!
Add your title and voila we have a great challenge!