Critique Style Requested: Initial Reaction
Please share your immediate response to the image before reading the photographer’s intent (obscured text below) or other comments. The photographer seeks a genuinely unbiased first impression.
Questions to guide your feedback
Looking to get the reaction for spring is here.
Other Information
Please leave your feedback before viewing the blurred information below, once you have replied, click to reveal the text and see if your assessment aligns with the photographer. Remember, this if for their benefit to learn what your unbiased reaction is.
Image Description
Taking a picture of the flower when I noticed the Humming bird working her way around the cactus. Fortunately, she came to my side. Hedgehog are some of the early spring blossoming cacti. This one is named Claret Cup Hedgehog. Appropriate.
Technical Details
Canon R6, Canon 24-1-5, 105mm, ISO 800, 1/1250sec,F/8
Specific Feedback
My problem with this is the BG. I wish it was not as green so that it blended in with the HB. Not sure I wanted to alter the color.
I really couldn’t change my position. Any suggestions in post processing that might have improved it? Or, is it OK as is?
2 Likes
Wow…this is a great capture! So lovely to see a photo of a hummingbird feeding at flowers in its natural habitat. I love the complimentary colours of orange/red and green. I find the background very interesting as it appears there are more cacti behind the bird as well, yet nicely out of focus and so do not distract. Overall the brightness seems high…I am not good at post-processing but wondering if pulling down the highlights might help? Also, it is a shame the wings almost disappear because of the relatively slow shutter speed, but the blur also adds to the story so I think the result is great. You have me captivated and exploring the photo.
My first reaction is mostly about the flowers due to the bold & bright colors! The hummingbird was actually the second thing I noticed. Part of the reason is that the hummingbird isn’t as well lit or as bright as the flowers plus the overly blurred wings that almost aren’t there and the lack of detail or a catch light on the eye make it less noticeable. I noticed you didn’t provide the camera settings but it’s obvious the shutter speed was fairly slow. I do think it triggers the early spring reaction due to the bright flowers.
PS: after critiquing I clicked on the blurred text and there was the camera data! Yes, the shutter speed was quite low for shooting hummingbirds. I don’t think the camera data should be blurred as it can be important for the purpose of understanding and critiquing the image.
Gary, thanks for the feed back. You are absolutely right. I know it is spring time because this cactus only blooms in the spring. You can’t know that from the picture. This is the first time I have to select what is blurred. I will be more aware of the picture telling the story in the future.
