Trapped

[Nikon Fan]

This is one of my favorite images from the St. Louis Zoo...the bird was in one of those giant conservatories where they can fly freely about.

My questions about it:
-Is it sharp enough? (seems to me it could be a tad sharper)
-How's the DOF?
-I applied a velia effect to this, is it too much?
-I wish the little ankle things weren't on it, but it led me to the title trapped...
-Is the composition good?
-This was the first time for me ever to really shoot animals, especially birds of this nature, So I think I'm happy with the results, but would really like critique as to what I can improve upon in the future.

Oh and this was shot using my Rebel XT with my new Tamron 70-300 telephoto lens, at 300 using a monopod on auto settings.

 

[Big Mike]

I think the sharpness is good, as are the saturated colors. The DOF is pleasing, as the background is significantly out of focus to isolate the subject yet it is still recognizable enough for the viewer to see that there are plants back there.

The eye looks a little dead, maybe some fill flash could have given some catch lights and opened up a few more details in the feathers.

Composition: the subject is centered but is framed nicely by the branches. If anything, I would think about cropping the left side just a bit, to give the impression that the bird is looking into the frame rather than out of it.

 

[spiralout]

It looks like you focused just a BIT short. The branch toward the right side is in perfect focus. I like the DOF and the vivid colors, but I wish the bird's head wansn't in the shadows. You should've told it to move! I agree with Big Mike; I'd say a little off the left and the bottom.

 

[Nikon Fan]

Thanks for the help...I tried a new crop and a different frame as well. Too much, not enough? As for the head being in the shadows maybe I could try dodging it just a bit, but not sure how much that will help.

 

[clarinetJWD]

-Is it sharp enough?
Like I said on dA, could be a bit sharper.
-How's the DOF?
Very good, completely separated the foreground and background
-I applied a velia effect to this, is it too much?
Nope, the colors are great
-Is the composition good?
Yep! The branches are a great natural frame

Great capture, but I agree with Scott, I think it was focused just a tad close, but a bit of sharpening will take care of that.

*edit* The new frame-too much. It becomes as much a focus as the picture. When it is being displayed on a wall, the whole presentation has to be artistic, but the digital border really only acts only to keep your eye within the photo and to separate it from the rest of the page. My strategy is to keep it simple.

 

[Nikon Fan]

Thanks Joe I agree about the border!! That bad boy is massive, but I wanted to try it out to say the least. I need to work on the sharpening bit...I either way overdo it or barely miss it being sharp enough...I've been reading about different sharpening effects lately so I'll have a shot with it tommorow