Anas platyrhynchos

[Dale Villeponteaux]

The ubiquitous mallard.  Capture sharpened with the head dodged.  C&C appreciated.

Thanks,
Dale

[popnfresh]

Your anas is out of focus.

[Slobodan Blagojevic]

Assuming it were in focus, why are we looking at it? This is not a zoology class, or a bird-watching forum. What is the story, what are you trying to communicate with the picture?

[Dale Villeponteaux]

A whimsy really.  As in the picture title, a bird sifting light and water, looking for gold.

[kikashi]

A whimsy really.  As in the picture title, a bird sifting light and water, looking for gold.

It takes more imagination than I have to derive that thought from the image, I'm afraid. I can't help wondering if without the duck it might have been an interesting abstract.

Jeremy

[shutterpup]

It takes more imagination than I have to derive that thought from the image, I'm afraid. I can't help wondering if without the duck it might have been an interesting abstract.

Jeremy

My thought exactly when I looked at it yesterday.

[Eric Myrvaagnes]

It takes more imagination than I have to derive that thought from the image, I'm afraid. I can't help wondering if without the duck it might have been an interesting abstract.

Jeremy

Aha! A job for Content-Aware Fill!!!
(Apologies, Dale.)

[Rob C]

Aha! A job for Content-Aware Fill!!!
(Apologies, Dale.)

Prefer the brain surgery idea, myself.

Rob C

[Dale Villeponteaux]

Ah well, I fear this picture is a child only a parent could love. "'Tis a poor thing, but mine own."
Thanks for looking
Dale

[Eric Myrvaagnes]

Prefer the brain surgery idea, myself.

Rob C

I would have used the chainsaw but I couldn't find it buried under my pile of recent prints and discarded body parts. So I used CS5 instead.

Eric

[fredjeang]

...I read first the OP Anal platyrhynchos,
I Happily thought there was finally a little bit of sex and depravation in the forum...then I saw the blured duck.
Oh well.

[stamper]

I often look at images on here and other sites and then at the comments and insights attributed to them by posters and wonder at what they have "seen". Either their imagination is a lot better than mine or their imagination is illusory. I sometimes think that they see something for the sake of it rather than what is "real" I know that everybody has and is entitled to their opinions but I am often left head scratching. Either I have a lot to learn - a distinct possibility - or some of them are exacting the P. 

[Rob C]

I often look at images on here and other sites and then at the comments and insights attributed to them by posters and wonder at what they have "seen". Either their imagination is a lot better than mine or their imagination is illusory. I sometimes think that they see something for the sake of it rather than what is "real" I know that everybody has and is entitled to their opinions but I am often left head scratching. Either I have a lot to learn - a distinct possibility - or some of them are exacting the P. 

As that famous line in Apocalypse Now almost went: I love the smell of urine in the morning.

Rob C

[Rob C]

...I read first the OP Anal platyrhynchos,
I Happily thought there was finally a little bit of sex and depravation in the forum...then I saw the blured duck.
Oh well.

Fred, you frighten me: yet another experience we shared!

Rob C

[Dale Villeponteaux]

One last to show I can occasionally get the focus right.  Less gold on the water, too, so less trouble to the imagination.
Thanks,
Dale

[Justinr]

What escapes me is why these shots should be considered any less worthy of serious consideration than many others I have seen here.

[JohnKoerner]

What escapes me is why these shots should be considered any less worthy of serious consideration than many others I have seen here.

Since this section is "The Art of Photography," and since this particular board is "User Critiques" as they pertain to this art, it seems the overwhelming consensus is there is nothing "artsy" in the original image (nor, in my mind, the second image). And I don't mean any disrespect.

To me, there are 3 potential payoffs to photographing a duck in the water: (1) an exceptional photo of the duck, showing either exquisite shape or color [or both], (2) something compelling about the water itself that surrounds the duck, or (3) something interesting about the duck and its relationship to the water [e.g., flapping & spraying the water, etc.].

I don't think either photo achieves any of these 3 potential elements well at all. The quality of the duck image is (at best) common; the quality of the water is (again, at best) common; and the way the duck is sitting on the water is nothing out of the ordinary either. I personally see nothing in either photo that I haven't seen in the hundreds of times I've seen ducks on the water.

I think a compelling nature shot has to capture either the form ... or the color ... or the action of wildlife in its environment in some kind of attention-grabbing way that we don't get to see every day.

And, with all due respect, I don't think any of these images does this well at all.

Or at least not for me ...

Jack

[stamper]

What escapes me is why these shots should be considered any less worthy of serious consideration than many others I have seen here.

I think the various opinions sums up why. Are you bucking the trend and stating that you find them worthy? If so why?

[Dale Villeponteaux]

To John Koerner,

This is helpful.
Thanks,
Dale

[stamper]

To John Koerner,

This is helpful.
Thanks,

Dale did you think the image was good? At the end of the day that is all that counts.
Dale