Glenn Rudd  


Emerald Toucanet by Glenn Rudd

June 2020 - Emerald Toucanet

About the Image(s)

In April 2019 I attended a photography workshop in Costa Rica. This beautiful bird posed very nicely for us on the perch we constructed, and the light was gorgeous. I love the colors and features of this image.

Technical: 1/200 sec, f/11, OSO 200, 350 mm


This round’s discussion is now closed!
9 comments posted




 
Wonderful bird excellently caught and presented. I cut out the leaf and made it a vertical, with a little more appeal for me, but hardly a major improvement. Fine image, great plumage result.   Posted: 06/06/2020 19:58:48



Joe Kennedy   Joe Kennedy
(Group 28)
Ah, back with your Costa Rica birding, eh? Wonderful colors in the toucanet! It is certainly competition-worthy. Perhaps, a tighter crop to eliminate that lone leaf or clone it out and enter this in open. just that single leaf is a distraction to me. I found it competing for my attention.   Posted: 06/09/2020 13:53:00



Sheldon Wecker   Sheldon Wecker
Beautiful bird. Well exposed, good detail without oversharpening. I like that there is some brightness variation in the background. The leaf seems to be getting the most attention. Dick and Joe give two options, but if you leave it in, I'd consider cropping a little on the right. I think it would improve image balance, and by elminating "non bird" content, put more emphasis on the bird.   Posted: 06/09/2020 18:39:11



Peter Elliston   Peter Elliston
Great shot. For me I'd love the leaf in. I like the sharp point of the leaf going in the direction of the bird's beak very appealing. If you have just the bird on its own well then it's beautiful bird well photographed - but if you also have the leaf, you have much more of a story about the bird and its habitat - even if that was a reconstruction. Like the way you have vignetted this too.   Posted: 06/10/2020 03:31:04



John Hackett   John Hackett
Technically spot on. The composition with the leaf also works for me.   Posted: 06/13/2020 08:50:43



Glenn Rudd   Glenn Rudd
Thanks for all of your comments. Leaf in or leaf out. I am going to leave it in. I did get an "Honorable Mention" in the 2019-2020 PSA Nature competition (Round 2). Maybe a first or second with the leaf out?   Posted: 06/13/2020 09:00:41
Lisa Cuchara   Lisa Cuchara
(Groups 41 & 44 & 46)
wonderful image!
Costa Rica in high on my travel list (once we can do safely travel like that again)
leaf in, we read left to right, so we go in the branch and up the body and down the beak and to the leaf, which take us back to the branch and back to the bird. w/o the leaf we would more easily leave the frame, the leaf creates a visual circular pattern keeping us in the frame.   Posted: 06/21/2020 00:32:44



Glenn Rudd   Glenn Rudd
Thanks Lisa. That is a good analysis.   Posted: 06/21/2020 06:55:05