During the winter months thousands of Elephant Seals line this beach along the central coast of California. The females (cows) give birth and nurse their pups, while the large males (bulls) battle each other for mating rights. I created this image by framing a small section of the larger stretch of beach. I found it interesting that among all the seals there are two females facing off in the distance, and one lone seagull watching it all.
Type of Critique Requested
Conceptual: Feedback on the message and story conveyed by the image.
Emotional: Feedback on the emotional impact and artistic value of the image.
Specific Feedback and Self-Critique
I hope this image gives whoever views it the sense of the spectacle that unfolds on this beach, with the enormous population of these magnificent creatures all huddled together in this one small area. As always, any feedback, be it positive or negative would be welcome.
Technical Details
Canon R7, 100-400mm lens @400mm, 1/320 sec at f /8.0, ISO 250. Minimal processing in Adobe Lightroom.
The mother about to suckle her pup is an interesting sub-plot here too. For me the seagull is a bit of a distraction, though I can also think of arguments to the contrary. It’s a bit near the edge, and this magnificent expansive scene doesn’t need a colourful counterpoint IMHO. There’s plenty to see, including that massive hulk in the background. All in all, it’s a fascinating spectacle.
A very interesting image, but I tend to like photos that give the eye a chance to explore. The tones and layers are really wonderful. I agree with Mike that the mother and pup is a nice, subtle secondary element.
I think I’d like the gull if it were placed differently in the frame. As-is, it’s a bit close to the edge and tends to be more of a distraction (especially being so closed to the two important bits of action in the scene), so my preference would be to crop it out in this case.
Thanks Mike. I just thought that it was interesting to see that lone seagull amongst all those seals, but maybe cropping it out would be a better option
