Walking with the birds

Quite a spectacular picture of course - and yes, it feels like a shoes ad campaign I saw before. So it's all good, and very well composed. Only one thing bothers me: the top left shoe seems to "shine" in a strange way. Not sure where that comes from, but I'd gladly do without this sort of shine. And I'd say it's almost surely a manipulated image, but at least it seems well manipulated and I see no obvious sign of a manipulation, so it's fine to me - except the shine...

WOW! Ten seconds.. Half a minute later I felt knocked down. Now I can't enjoy both, true or "fake" anymore. By the mixed feeling. The wow is the greatest by the possibility of imidiately sharing the photographers moment!! Or.. at once being able to enjoy the constructed idea!! Especially if "one out of a millions shot" seems to be shown! Haha.., perhaps my age! However, would you like, while unpacking your bride.. she turns out to be a man..?! "Nice idea!" would be a very remarcable reaction.

 

I think the image is a man. The vertical direction of the clouds, the being absent of birds/parts on strategic places around the body, the jump of the person and the infill.. are making me thinking that. Do have at the end the same feelings as Lannie. Please, show me by a "specific sign" on or beneath the photo/image, where I have to do with. "Make your potential POW a potential WOW..!!"

Commonly, it seems any POW that appears to capture some moment in time is accused of being a composite image. Last week's lighthouse photo is an example. I would be in favor of hearing from the photographer on this. Like Lannie, I would prefer that it not be a composite. I would like to say, however, that whenever we are "sure" that a photo is "faked", whether there is strong evidence or not, our eyes fool us. For example, it was mentioned that the clouds are vertical, but more likely they are cirrus clouds, shot directly overhead. As for the birds, they are turning. One would have an opportunity to spontaneously capture a photo like this if you noticed a flock of birds that wanted to stay in one area but kept on being disturbed. In that situation, they will circle, then land in the same place. Pigeons do this frequently, but I'm not convinced these are pigeons.

 

As for the bottom of the shoe - manipulation vs. fill flash. Note that the pants leg is not illuminated, however.

I have no idea if this is a composite or not but there may be a clue...I cannot see a single bird that is partly hidden by the human figure. I would expect that with this many birds in the air there would be at least one or possibly a few which would be partially hidden. There is empty air space completely surrounding the human. The bird by the right elbow looks like it could be partly hidden but upon close examination it's left wing is dipping downward.

 

And a thing that I find a bit disconcerting is that the birds are traveling in a 9:30-10ish direction and the human more toward 11:00-11:30ish. Another small detail but for me it disrupts the right to left motion AND maybe points toward another clue...

 

Manipulated or not I do find this an interesting photo.

Many people seem to admire the "timing" of when the photo was taken. Clearly this is a heavily manipulated images since not one single bird seems to be "overlap" with the person (i.e. behind the figure). All the birds are conveniently around the figure.

 

Having said that, I cannot admire the "timing" since there was no "timing" to admire.

 

The photo gives the impression that you are looking straight up, but for some bizarre reason, the birds seem to be flying "sideways" meaning the photo is a composite of birds lower in the horizon and a person from below.

 

So, my critique is limited to the quality of the photoshopping. There appears to be a lot of artifacts around the birds which should not have happened.

Okay, notwithstanding what I have said above, if this is the kind of photo that might be used to promote a product, then it is indeed brilliant, as both Kristina and Marc suggest. If it were to be an attempt to capture reality, on the other hand, then we would have to judge it by another standard. In that case, the degree of manipulation would be more relevant.

 

As for myself, I would like it most of all if it were indeed a decisive moment that was captured exactly as presented, but I am open to appreciating it on more than one plane, as representative of more than one possible genre of photography.

 

--Lannie

Congrats on the POW.

IMO the debate over whether or not this is a composite is a no-brainer. By the perspective suggested in this overall picture, the great majority of birds in this photo seem to be flying on their side, with it's left side pointed 90-or-so degrees the ground. When have you ever seen birds flying on their sides through the air, even when turning as one commenter suggested?

As further evidence of composite, zoom in and take a look at the pixellated, chunky edge of the toe of the right shoe.

No-brainer. A neat idea, not mindblowingly original, and would have been much more convincing had the birds in this composite been photographed flying overhead rather than from the side.

It's a nice composite of two images.

(Unless the person was walking on a wall, this capture is simply impossible. Note the profiles of the birds. They are perpendicular to the plane of capture. Still, very original).

I think this may actually be a composite of 4 images (sky, birds, person, right shoe). The image would make an interesting advertising piece for a shoe manufacturer but, for me, conveys very little emotion simply because it looks unreal/unlikely.

 

John

I find myself agreeing with the previous comment.

 

Here is one opinionated piece:

I don't know whether it is a composite or not. What I know is it has a great impast and rings true. Maybe to capture this, th ephotographer shot and shot till birds and runner where in the same frame. However, even though it was composed in Photoshop, I find it valid; to me it conveys the impression of flying amid birds.

impact, that is.

It's amazing that there is no coincidence of birds and any part of the figure's outline (maybe one at the collar, hard to tell). If this is the way it was captured, this is quite good fortune/timing. It's a great perspective, how did you get under the subject like this? Great dof and diagnol frame filling composition. Was it shot color or B&W in the camera?

 

Cheers,

Brett

I, at first, did not want to participate at rating the picture. I thought it was ok, not that spectacular, but ok. Watching the commentaries I wish to side with the photographer/photograph.

 

As for the person who posted a commentary that included a link to a youtube video, I wish to advise you that although the elderly gentleman may be an extraordinary photographer, he possesses his own wisdom and vision in photography. Should every one bow down to him and agree? I don't think so. Photography is art and art needs variance to survive, otherwise we'd all enjoy Adolf's watercolors.

 

Alex has his own vision, whether you agree with or not. The Elves believed his picture is worthy of debate. Just because his vision is not similar to the usual clique of photographer that is normally lauded does not mean that his picture is worthy of admiration.

 

I believe this should be a highly rated picture. I hope all of you could indeed enjoy it for what it is just as I have. Relax and live a little. Just like the gentleman in he video stated, enjoy what you do. Be nice to one another since all of you have a common interest.

 

Sincerely

Jim D M

I think it is too late in the night here not to take a stand on this photograph, especially after a pointed advice to me on my comment.

 

Frankly, this particular photograph conveys admirable technical skill of the photographer, and quite a heightened sense of graphic visualization by the photographer--in fact, the skill and visualization are both at levels that are quite beyond my personal abilities. I suppose that is sufficient for this photograph to be selected by elves. Quite possibly so. The selection is laudable.

 

Nevertheless, despite the obvious degree of skill and graphic visualization in evidence here, I find the photo quite jarring to my sensibility.

 

Sorry, I am perhaps too old-fashioned to be surprised by its obviousness. Sorry, I am perhaps a stuffy old fool who cannot relax when looking at this photo. I confess to both deficiencies.

 

In my defense, as several people have already mentioned, I am inevitably attracted to that shimmering shoe of the fellow jumping. I resent being forced to do that.

 

Beyond the shoe, my aesthetics are not proceeding further. The obviousness of the photo's intended message is too blunt for me. Just too obvious. It shouts in my ears: look, this is what it feels for a boy to fly....to be like birds...so obvious that I find it difficult to enjoy.

 

Unfortunately I have seen too many other photos of boys and birds. Just one of them, where the message is subtle, full of surprises, like the presence of a 'winged angel", as it were, is here: http://www.magnumphotos.com/Archive/C.aspx?VP=Mod_ViewBox.ViewBoxZoom_VPage&VBID=2K1HZO6LWX4_7&IT=ImageZoom01&PN=173&STM=T&DTTM=Image&SP=Search&IID=2S5RYD1DB6AB&SAKL=T&SGBT=T&DT=Image

 

We are at photo.net to exchange ideas and critique our photos, to tell what WE THINK of a photo...well, my thoughts are here, like it or not.

great idea !!

A truly excellent picture!

Really rare and powerful image.Creative idea and amazing use of B&W mood.Strong edition and wonderful use of atmosphere.I always thought myself that this shot can be a great chooice for POW and now fortunetley it has been choosen.Really great choose.

 

Keep on Working Alex

 

Regards

Excellent moment you have catched that make the picture speek...

this is fun choreography - a GOOD shot!

It takes me to another place. Wonderful. Regards..Lois

Hi, I thought you might like to know this image is being shown here as their own.

 

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/28615257@N04/2864987118/

 

Regards,

 

Amelie

wonderful idea and perfect image at all