I received a request for comment on my own image. Fulfilling it would be sad, and tacky. So instead, I figured I'd relay the message, so to speak, and see if anyone wanted to offer any thoughts.

The image in question can be found here.. thanks in advance to any brave souls..

Good shot. Nice post.

Ok we, got that out of the way...

Rob, the composition is fine, the detail good...but...yes always a but...it doesn't really 'say' anything to me. I think the c-index is a bit low, because, as I stated, on a technical level it is fine. You were kind enough to write in response to one of my posts that one of the marks of true art is whether or not it speaks to you. To be blunt, if this one is speaking it's kinda saying "whatever". Sorry, I don't really have any suggestions to offer for improvement, because technically it is fine, I just think that there isn't much to grab the eye and hold the attention.

Rich

Ok, well if it doesn't reach out and grab you, then I can certainly understand.. I suppose I figured it would be more of a relaxing, nondescript image, than one that inspired deep inner thought.

Thanks for stopping by, and offering your thoughts, Rich.

Rob - lets be honest here. As I said I think it deserved a better c-index just on the technical aspects. You never know here, you left a very candid comment on this one (which I happen to agree with by the way) and it scored a 66. Why? Cause people like tigers. They are majestic, regal creatures and this guy had a great look on his face - even if I did screw the focus to h*ll and back. My 2 highest scoring posts ever are of a sunset over a lagoon. I figure if I could figure out away to get a Tiger to walk next to the lagoon at Sunset I would have a surefire 100! Some are gonna hit and some aren't - but just keep posting what your artists eye sees because you take the craft seriously and you hit more often than miss.

Rich

I suspect you misread my reply. I wasn't griping about the low score (I know better) but instead was taking more of a "oh, hadn't thought of it like that" approach.

Thanks again for stopping by, and sharing your insight, as well as the kind words.

Good composition Rob.

Downloaded your image and played around with it in CS2 Photoshop ... and that is where I started to take notice of some of your edits.

Particularly, in and around the gull. Don't know if you did any dodging ... that said, I would have preferred you not to have tried to bring more focal attention to the gull that way.

And then, simply worked on bringing some more detail out of the gull.

Shadow/Highlight adjustment worked to an extent ... add a warming filter or play around with a Selective Colour adjustment was a means towards the end I pursued with your image.

The gull, itself ... is quite shadowed now to my eyes.

Monitor differences? Perhaps ... not sure.

A tad ... a tad, pixelated. Or, it might be the presence of some compression issues and/or artifacts.

That said, and to my eyes ... it is obviously a late day shot ... the quality of light is nice and apparent.

I would be surprised if you informed us that this was taken with the D300.

... ...

... ...

Heyyy! Look!! There's that comet thingy again!!

:oD

*snicker*

took it with a crappy little 4 megapixel point and shoot from Fuji. the "dodging" and pixelation are actually glow and grain of the Diffuse Glow filter.

Thanks for your input, Les. It's appreciated, as always.

That area that was affected by the Diffuse Glow filter was eerily placed, no?

Didn't really detect it elsewhere, or to the same extent.

And thanks, I do prefer Snickers over Mars ... although, some might be of the opinion that my birthplace would dictate otherwise.

:oP

lolol @ you two ^

i think your bird is lovely