I got hired.....to shoot a bird?

[burnws6]

Well, whatever floats your boat. She had money, and she wanted a picture of her bird. She told me what kind it was but I forgot. She wanted a bright picture. I used a 1/4 CTO gel on the background but it was too orange. So I used it bare. She loved it, but I still don't feel like it shouts a "bright" picture. Anyone have any ideas what I could have done better?

 

[themedicine]

well first off, let me qualify this by answering your question first. I don't know. The only thing I could think of was like, Vibrance in lightroom. Thats all i got.
But, I love that photo! I think you did a great job! I love the Shallowish DOF and i think its quite bright.

 

[burnws6]

well first off, let me qualify this by answering your question first. I don't know. The only thing I could think of was like, Vibrance in lightroom. Thats all i got.
But, I love that photo! I think you did a great job! I love the Shallowish DOF and i think its quite bright.

Thanks Man! I'm in the process of playing around with in PS....Have no idea what I'm going to do though lol

 

[thebeatles]

I think it looks awesome. :thumbup: I don't think it would look any better if it were brighter.

 

[burnws6]

I think it looks awesome. :thumbup: I don't think it would look any better if it were brighter.

Thank you. Maybe I'm just nit picking.

 

[kundalini]

It looks oversaturated which may be the result of it looking soft for feather detail.

The bit of branch on the right edge that's been pruned is distracting. Another branch where the leaves aren't dying would've been a better choice.

I would have hit the background so the bird (main subject) is in that splash to emphasize.

A reflector set below the bird would have given more detail to the shadowed underside of the tail feathers.

Cute bird.

 

[burnws6]

It looks oversaturated which may be the result of it looking soft for feather detail.

The bit of branch on the right edge that's been pruned is distracting. Another branch where the leaves aren't dying would've been a better choice.

I would have hit the background so the bird (main subject) is in that splash to emphasize.

A reflector set below the bird would have given more detail to the shadowed underside of the tail feathers.

Cute bird.

Bingo. Thank you, that's exactly what's missing. Except the 3rd point....I'm not sure what you mean?

 

[themedicine]

A reflector set below the bird would have given more detail to the shadowed underside of the tail feathers.

Oh that's a good point there! Like, seriously, it is. Now I hope one day I get to shoot a bird. haha.

and I think what he means in his third point is to have the bird in the center of the bright circle on the background. I think.. Like right now, the brighter spot on the background does imply emphasis to those little leaves over there, where if it were behind the bird, it would lead the viewer to the bird instead.

 

[eric-holmes]

I think it looks great and I wouldn't change a thing. Good Job.

 

[burnws6]

A reflector set below the bird would have given more detail to the shadowed underside of the tail feathers.

Oh that's a good point there! Like, seriously, it is. Now I hope one day I get to shoot a bird. haha.

and I think what he means in his third point is to have the bird in the center of the bright circle on the background. I think..

Honestly I almost took it. But I thought I was going to look over the top with a 50" reflector lol.

 

[thebeatles]

Another branch where the leaves aren't dying would've been a better choice.

I do agree with this. Was that the only plant there or did you bring your own OP.

 

[burnws6]

Another branch where the leaves aren't dying would've been a better choice.

I do agree with this. Was that the only plant there or did you bring your own OP.

Well, I came into the project blind. I had no idea what I was going to do. Originally I had the owner hold it with its hand. That looked distracting and unprofessional. Second I tried to catch it mid flight, I couldn't get it to focus even though I was shooting at f8. So I asked her if I could take part of a branch off, but I took a half dead branch because I thought it would be rude to rip off a healthy branch lol.

 

[c.cloudwalker]

I read your post and fell out of my chair.

But I was not laughing at you. If you don't know birds, you don't know birds.

My first reaction is that the bird looks a bit freaked out. Which wouldn't be unusual. Parrots freak out easily. One of mine falls off her perch if I walk through the room with one of those 4-step type ladder. :lmao:

Of course this is not a rule. Some birds are better than others. Some birds will feel better with some people and, who knows why?

Now, if the client likes the photo, what are you worrying about? I find the colors to be fairly nice. The pose is absolutely normal. A bird does not see in front like we do. It sees off the side (in front of its eyes) and, in this pose, it is looking straight at you.

What bugs me about your photo is the oof feathers on his breasts. Too shallow DOF? At first I thought it was just the bird puffing up, getting ready to fight but he is not puffed up. Therefore, DOF.

And that would be a problem of insufficient light.

 

[Eco]

Nice picture of the Sun Conure (pretty sure that is the type of bird). The ONLY thing I don't like is the brightness behind the leaves, IMO it takes a little away from the subject.

BTW, congrats on being able to add professional bird photographer to your resume.

 

[burnws6]

I read your post and fell out of my chair.

But I was not laughing at you. If you don't know birds, you don't know birds.

My first reaction is that the bird looks a bit freaked out. Which wouldn't be unusual. Parrots freak out easily. One of mine falls off her perch if I walk through the room with one of those 4-step type ladder. :lmao:

Of course this is not a rule. Some birds are better than others. Some birds will feel better with some people and, who knows why?

Now, if the client likes the photo, what are you worrying about? I find the colors to be fairly nice. The pose is absolutely normal. A bird does not see in front like we do. It sees off the side (in front of its eyes) and, in this pose, it is looking straight at you.

What bugs me about your photo is the oof feathers on his breasts. Too shallow DOF? At first I thought it was just the bird puffing up, getting ready to fight but he is not puffed up. Therefore, DOF.

And that would be a problem of insufficient light.

The client loves the picture, but as a photographer that is always looking to get better, I always look for imperfections.

As far as the feathers, I'm not sure why that happened. I was shooting at f8 which should have been more then enough. Maybe it was the AF mode I was using?

Here's another one, but since it's tail got chopped off, it doesn't work for me either.