Interesting idea. Seems you have found a new breed of birds. Unfortunately for me, the crystal birds don't work for me - I get the idea, but not enough detail in the new birds.   Posted: 03/04/2025 21:39:31

Thanks Gunter. Do you think I should have "massaged" them more in Photoshop with filters and special effects?   Posted: 03/05/2025 11:13:34

A fun concept Peter. I assume you wanted to tell a story of a birder finding crystal birds in the wild along with a live bird, right? At least that's where my head goes. To me, there's just a little too much going on in the composition. The photo of the black bird is nice, but he really could use a catch light in his eye to make his black eye visible. I'm not sure the photo of the crystal birds translates in a clear way to your final image, especially at the size you've got. Perhaps if you reduced the background and zoomed in on the dichotomy of live vs crystal birds, it would make for a clearer message. See my attempt. You could still add the birding dude down on the far right, for a third object and the extension of the story/title. I just didn't take the time to do that.

By the way, FYI, when you want to directly reply to another member's comment, just click on the black Reply box right next to their comment before typing your reply. That way, the member will receive an email notice to let them know you've replied to them, and your reply will be placed underneath their comment and indented so it's clear to other members reading the comment stream.   Posted: 03/07/2025 17:40:14

As a member of group 21 (Birds) this was of special interest to me. A nicely put together composition, especially with the onlooking birder. The background is, for me, a bit dark, as it doesn't show the birds off very well. Maybe a work in progress?   Posted: 03/10/2025 05:02:04

Hi Peter. I am glad to hear what you imagine. To me. It's a fun brain teaser. An interesting exercise of your PS skills. I agree with Jan Handyman's comments. I just could not make such elaborate words like her. The challenge here is how to make the crystal birds as realistic as it could be. It's not a competition image. I would create the same bird with AI and impose it to the crystals birds! Enjoy your time!   Posted: 03/16/2025 20:03:27

Peter, you have a good idea, but I don't think it translates well at this resolution. I agree with Jan. The background is too busy, and it needs a tighter crop. It is always better to get in closer when photographing birds, especially the tiny ones you have here. I feel that you are using filters for filters sake. It is always better to have a reason to use a filter. The filters used on the birder do not make the image cohesive since the rest of the image does not have use of the same filters.   Posted: 03/25/2025 21:10:17

I like this a lot. The crystal birds are obviously not going to look natural. You have created a whimsical composite which eliminates the need for realism. It's real enough to express the message, but obviously tongue in cheek. I agree with Mike that the background is a bit dark, but it is the natural background. This might be fixed by adding a bit of contrast.   Posted: 03/30/2025 17:12:37