Gators, horses, and a cranes last meal. First post for C&C

[kasperjd4]

Hey TPF,


So this is the first time I'm posting something for C&C. This was also the first time I actually went somewhere with the intent of shooting wildlife. I just got my Sigma 70-200 F2.8 EX DG OS HSM on Tuesday so I had to shoot some wildlife.

Let me know what you guys think.
#1

#2

#3

#4

#5 I really wish the wings weren't blown out on this...

#6 Birdies last meal. I had been watching this gator sneak up on the crane for about an hour until I got kicked out of the trail by rangers... They kick everyone out an hour before sunset as it "disrupts the wildlife"

#7

Thanks for any input!

Cheers

 

[digital flower]

Not seeing the photos.

 

[kasperjd4]

Fixed.

 

[Rekd]

Interesting snapshots. Not what I would call wildlife photography as they are all cropped way too loose. You have to look around the pictures before you see the subjects and by then it's too late to make an impact. The subject should jump out at you like that 'gater was about to jump out at that crane.

#6 Birdies last meal. I had been watching this gator sneak up on the crane for about an hour until I got kicked out of the trail by rangers...

Were you trespassing? Not sure I understand why you were asked to leave...

And the title said something about horses. I didn't see any horses in these shots.

 

[kasperjd4]

oh, whoops, forgot to re-upload the horse shot.

The rangers kick everyone out an hour before sunset because it "bothers the wildlife"

So getting tighter is something I need to work on.

Heres one that is pretty tight I think?

 

[Overread36]

Interesting snapshots. Not what I would call wildlife photography as they are all cropped way too loose. You have to look around the pictures before you see the subjects and by then it's too late to make an impact. The subject should jump out at you like that 'gater was about to jump out at that crane.

Yes and no.
I'm going to expand on this because I do share your view that the photos lack a compositional draw to them which makes them stand out a lot less, however I want to reword it a little since your line above sounds a little like advising that the subject (animal) must always be dominating the frame space and closely cropped in.

In wildlife photography this idea of presenting, what is in effect, an animal portrait (either head or body) is often what many are after in their bid to "get close enough" and many wildlifers delight in getting those close shots (of course without harming the subject and environment). Thus such a view can also come to dominate the viewed market of shots that people see.
However you don't have to work this way - shots that show a wider view including habitat, environment, interactions, hunting, resting, etc.... These are all worthy and good shots to compose and take.


I feel that in the above series of shots you are experimenting/trying to get away from having everything always dead centre - however I feel that there are 2 main weaknesses in the shots;

1) angle - esp with the gator photos - the angle you have is from a upward position looking down onto the subjects. This is often seen as less interesting because its the view we get as we walk by- our eyes and mind are used to such an elevated viewing point onto so many animals. Thus a more prefered/interesting angle is to shoot low - to be right down on eye to eye level with the subject. Of course practicalities might prevent this from being possible, but its a fact to consider.

2) direction of motion/view - in shots 5 and 6 the crane is looking to the right (and moving to the right in 5) however the shot is taken with them already being far over onto the right hand side. This leaves you little to nothing on the left to draw the viewers interest (thus creating an empty/dead part of the photo) which is then followed by having the animal looking (or looking as if) off to the right hand side. So we get our focus on the animal and then follow their gaze - bang right into the edge of the frame. A stronger move is to have more empty space for the animal to "move into" or stare into.

 

[kasperjd4]

Overread- Thanks for the great critique! I definitely need to work on my composition and angle more. I will work on that when I go out there next. Thank you again.