Love is Everywhere

Nice exposure. Somewhat uninteresting (even if sweetly romantic) composition and subject. One being in focus, the other out of focus just seems awkward to me. I could see it as a Valentine's Day greeting card, complete with heart, but the focusing would detract from it.

Agree with Fred. There is also something in the background behind the goose on the right sitting on the neck that is somewhat bothersome. It's the sort of thing you probably don't notice until you review the shot on your computer and wish you'd either waited for the object to pass (if it's a person) or had composed a bit differently. I do like the positioning of the birds, and I probably have a very similar shot in my portfolio somewhere.

This is a well tried composition. A cliché. I've probably taken one similar too. The light is too harsh for this one, a flat overcast light would probably work better in my opinion. The depth of field is neither great enough to make both swans sharp, nor sufficiently shallow to make it seem intentional, dreamy or "artistic". The sentimental title is not helping either. It's a miss for me. On a personal note, it would have to be a pretty special image for me to sit up and notice any shot of a swan or a duck - they are such common subjects for photographers.

I don't like this image. I do like the clear picture of the swan on the left. A good, crisp rendering with nice lighting. That alone, however does not carry the shot. One bird in focus and one far out does not complete the theme well.

I wish you would rethink the title. It turns a good attempt at a nature shot into a simpering message about human emotion. Why? Because the two swans necks make, sort of, a half-baked heart shape? This is love everywhere? Please. Two, in focus, swans touching beaks making a heart shape might be stronger visually but still unworthy of such a moniker. Pushing a "heart" theme would make more sense, not "love everywhere".

There is no doubt that serendipity often plays a role in catching a unique image of birds and animals. Keep at it, Bartosz, and realize no title, regardless of it's attempted emotional appeal, will ever make up for a weak image. I see where you are going with this, but this frame just misses the mark.

I agree that both swans being in clear focus would improve the image. But, regardless, it doesn't do much for me.

Not commenting on the image, per se, but rather the mists of associations that flit across my mind on/after looking at it:

It reminds me, or brings to memory, the well-known image by Alec Soth* of swannish-towels "posed" on a bed -- from his book Niagara. You're supposed to notice, not so much (or not only) that they resemble swans, but in particular that the empty space enclosed by the facing/touching forms makes a heart (shape). [Niagara = honeymoons = love]

Looking at this picture (the POW) with that in mind, seeing the same heart shape formed by the space between the two swans, but here it's broken, incomplete and the two birds are not even actually in the same plane so that the "heart" is even more so an ephemeral invention of my own point of view -- both perspectivally and as receptive-to or looking-for what's from-me and not there at all (symbols). Symbols of love can be spotted Everywhere (from the title) but just for that reason, Love is Nowhere, too. Etc. etc. etc.

There's not enough conviction in either the picture or my own barely interested thoughts to gain any momentum, but they are there, and they did originate or were instigated by this picture, and that's a good thing, I think, however mild and fleeting.

[*not meant as an endorsement of Soth. I am not a fan.]

I'm pretty much in agreement with Fred on this one, but as soon as I saw this photograph, I knew it was gonna get nitpicked to death by one of the photo.net wannabe gurus here. And I was right. Sarcastic and smartass remarks do not make for good critique.

I'll just say I love the composition, the light, and the idea behind it...but the depth of field is too shallow, and let it go at that.

Nor do running down other's honest opinions make for a good critique.

The composition placing equal weighting on the two swans puts it in conflict with the choice of blurring of the right swan - unless you only look at the left swan, then the blurring of the other will look "right".

Jim, I suppose your comments about depth of field don't count as "nitpicking"?- In fact one could argue that is the most nitpicking comment of all as the photographer could probably do nothing much about it given the other conditions.

As to being wannabe gurus - the whole point of these threads is to elicit critiques - everyone is a critic here: that is indeed the point.

I like the heart , shaped by the two of them, even thought not perfect. Other than that, there is no interest in composition, and subject.

I am as sentimental as anyone and I can find pleasure in the theme of two elegant necks in tandem juxtaposition and heart shaped. This version of the theme strikes me as a bland version with some technical nitpics that are justified nitpics. Critique is not always sublime, yet so be it . It does not grab my attention. Nor does it strike any tender chord of association.

I would love to be the fly on the wall as the Elves parse through a pile of photos. Hmm, do they measure success as the volume of replies or the quality of comments including the occasional carp, "why did the elves select this expletive photo? Rhetorical but fun to postulate.

Anyway, I'm simply not fond of the DOF.

Agree with what Fred wrote before; tough the word cliché does pop up in my mind too.
The problem of the second swan being out of focus.... Maybe the problem isn't only the focus, but the context in which we see this photo - the title, the fact that today is Valentine's day. The pre-conceived idea that these two swans are in fact forming a heart shape together?
If I let go of that idea, I do find the depth of field a lot less problematic - it becomes a "environment portrait" of a single swan, in company, mirrored. Contemplative. Viewed like this, though, it's more the composition that doesn't entirely convince (I would "push" the out-of-focus swan more to the right to make it a lesser presence).
So in the end, I cannot quite make up my mind, but as a total, it's just ending up short for me by a tiny bit.

The blurring of one of the swans and the two separated halves of a heart reminds me more of secret distance infatuation than love. The title therefore does not quite match the image - for me that is.
There are two white and very blurred spots behind each swan's necks that distracts from the main motive. They are almost like magnets that pull on my eyes. Also the lighting is not very romantic, and therefore in a way opposes the main message in the image.

Nothing piqued my interest in this image. Julie's comment about Alec Soth did though. Who are you a fan of Julie?

Nice conventional swan photograph. Except for the blurred Swan. Doesn't work for me.

It's an interesting variation on a familiar theme. But if anything I see it as the opposite of a "love is everywhere" theme. The space between the swans suggests a broken heart, and the out of focus swan seems to emphasize the suggestion of distance, separation and parting. From that perspective it's effective, and the out of focus swan is an attribute to that interpretation.

However I would pick a couple of nits: the blown highlights and chromatic aberrations on the necks are a bit of a distraction.