Help ... your opinion.

<p>Your choice between these two for Monday's Camera Club competition. I'm not in the "salon group". Thanks ... Ray. <a href="http://rty.smugmug.com/gallery/7423850_tr7wj#478494004_h54Ky">http://rty.smugmug.com/gallery/7423850_tr7wj#478494004_h54Ky</a></p>

Sorry Ray,

 

Your pictures are not displayed on your website for me?

 

Mark

<p>They're both interesting, Ray. My first thought, though, is that #1 is tilted a degree or so clockwise. Because of all of the strong lines in the image, that really jumps right out at me, and distracts from the other aspects of the image. The second image might benefit from a slightly different crop, but I'm feeling more critical of the mask/tool artifacts between the wingtip feathers. In creating the dramatic black background, a little too much bird has been pealed away there, especially in the narrow areas where the feathers meet. At least, that's how it appears at the resolution at which we're seeing the images you linked to. <br /><br />So, not trying to be too picky - just letting you know what jumped out at me. The orientation on the first image should be easy to fix. Fiddling with the masking on the second would be a lot more tedious. Good luck at the session!</p>

<p>Go with the bird -- the interior is too tilted and I could never get over that.</p>

<p>Ray, have to agree with Matt... I lean heavily toward #1 IF you level it off! Very nice shot...</p>

<p>Go with the bird. Anybody can take a shot of a stagnant interior. Not many can get a sharp shot of a Blue Jay in flight.</p>

<p><em>"Not many can get a sharp shot of a Blue Jay in flight."</em></p>

<p>It looks like a taxidermy display to me with the background removed.</p>

<p>Bwtween the two, most certainly the bird for camera club judging, IMO. I am not sure why the background is black. Did you cut and paste? You may lose points on that. If you can put some natural background back (instead of pitch black) and enhance on that instead, that would be great.</p>

<p>Good luck,<br />Mary</p>

<p>Great line Michael ... I may have to agree with you.</p>

<p>The bird, the first looks like it has a bit too much HDR processing. It resembles a colored pencil illustration. Of course a quite beautiful one at that.</p>

<p>Thanks everyone. I straightened photo #1. Also pulled the bluejay and replaced it with the tulip ... Ray.</p>

<p>Ray, how did you do on Monday?</p>

<p>Hi Mary. The "Red Tulip" and "Fox in Shadows" were lucky enough to take "Image of the Month" for color, and mono catagories in Group A, which is my level. Thanks ... Ray.</p><div></div>

<p>Congrats! I like both of your pictures very much! :)</p>