How could I have photographed these better.
Thank you for your help:>))











Hope this was not to many.
Really need a tough critique.
Thanks.....

I'm not sure if youre fishing for compliments, or what, but I'll give you my opinion.

I believe the shots all area very nice. They are well exposed, the compositions are balanced and the subjects are interesting.

My opiinion of a few of the shots are related to my style, not to your work. I prefer, in my wildlife, somthing different, or unique. Now, your stuff, as I said is photographicaly top notch for sure, it could be published in just about any bird book, but to me the shots lack interaction or intamacy, they are more documentary style. And there's nothing wrong with that!!!

I like to shoot wildlife in a way that gives the viewer a window into their lives. Or, a shot should be capivating, like the 3rd and 4th shots.

Technically, they are perfect. I would just work on getting to know the birds habbits better and getting those special, shots that only can be taken by people who really understand the the birds and their uniqe lives.

At the end of the day, those shots are great and you should be proud of them. . . Just a little more effort into capturing those special moments, and you really will have somthing. . .

Thank You very much Tony.
No not fishing for compliments at all.!!!!!!

I entered these in a contest and they went nowhere. So was wondering what i could have done better. I guess my thinking was wrong on these choices. Since they would be calendar images, I thought, what would I want to look at for a month:>)))))
I had many with alot if interaction and habits of the birds.
Perhaps my thinking was alllll WRONG:<(((((((((((

I am very happy to know that the techs on them is good though. One never knows unless they ask.

I so appreciate your reply and critique.

I will get a few more, and show you some different ones I did not chose.
I would like to know what you think.
Thanks again
Gale

Tony,
Here are the links to a few more..
I know I have many action shots in my gallery, however they all had to be shot at the rookery.

Anything here worth an entry.
http://www.pbase.com/techwish/image/58391901
http://www.pbase.com/techwish/image/60990974
LOL would you like to look at his for a month.. OMG what a face.
http://www.pbase.com/techwish/image/60213726

Chow time:>)) It' mine, Oh No, it's mine!!!
http://www.pbase.com/techwish/image/58481570

Now only a face a Mom could love:>))
http://www.pbase.com/techwish/image/60213260

Gourmet Food..
My NG special:>))
http://www.pbase.com/techwish/image/60548927

http://www.pbase.com/techwish/image/58307018

This is the 2006 wildlife gallery.
http://www.pbase.com/techwish/wildlife_2006


Thank you ,
I really appreciate your time and help.

Regards
Gale

Gale, after looking at your other work, I still think technically you do a great job. The one issue you have is that you like to shoot subjects that most people have seen A LOT. Those birds are photographed by a lot of people and therefore we see them a lot, I think that makes it even more difficult to get those real uniqe shots.

I know that most bird shots look similar, the trick is to give your shot that somthing different. I noticed that your western birds, the osprey and eagles have some interesting motion AND better light, so I think they are more appealing.

While your exposures on the Rookery/Ding birds all look good, considering the full sun and no clouds, better light would have added a little somthing special. Maybe try shooting early or late and see where that goes.

I'd say you have tackled a huge challange - shooting large birds! It's got to be fun, or you would not do it, that much I know, but now you have to take the next step and push your photography to next level. Theres at least two ways to do that, first, study the birds more, second, change the light. Like I said, most judges have seen a hundred herron shots of them in a tree, now photograph well, somthing I have not seen a herron do, that will get the judges attention!!!

Take care, Tony

Thank You Tony...
I wanted to shoot early and late and not able to do it as I was traveling 2 1/2 hours away for the St Augustine rookery.
So was at the other persons choice.

Shooting f8 at 1/1000 0r 1/1200 is some tough light for sure.
Took me a long time to be able to do that with continued success. So much so I am having a tough time on dark birds..lolol

To tell you the truth , I am getting sick of white birds.
Back to the Great Blue Heron for awhile.. Although I have a ton of them as well.

The Eagle is the one I am after. This year the Great Horned owl took the nest..
Caracara is a challenge....

The others at the Viera wetlands have more of an opportunity.

I will sure take your advice to heart and next season see what I can do.
Thank you again for your time.
.

Hey Gale, I just found this little saying in the most recent issue of OP (sept. 2006), it's on page 42, and it's referring to bird photography,

"You see it [the alchemy that raises a shot above it's siblings] most clearly in pictures of animals," Schafer points out. It's a matter of grace. One shot in a sequence show a bird flying. The very next, it's a bird soaring. What's the difference? Maybe golden light on the wingtips or a turn of the head--something that makes that image stand out."

Thanks Tony,
I do have to agree....

OP..Will have to look for that mag.

As "Moose" would say.

If the light ain't right don't shoot it.

However, now and again. One has no choice. Wish I did.