the Jackal and the Stork

John AndrewsPhoto.net Patron, July 28, 2005; 08:22 P.M.

"At some point I would rave 7/7 and not consider other issues, but yes I could be framed better"

Who couldn't be framed better? Just kiddin'

 

I like the shot, but I don't think it has the qualities a 'photograph of the week' should have.

Points I would have tried to do otherwise:

-framing, indeed

-light (given the situation quite impossible to increase...)

 

I have to say I liked the other photograph of the jackall better...

I am sorry, I don't like this shot and here is why - I have tried and tried and cannot force myself to like this. But the color scheme and blurry pink flamingos keep pulling your eyes away from the action in all directions and the main subject becomes secondary. If this shot were to show contrast - then there is not enough color. If color was unimportant to the shot - there is too much of it. And I am affraid if it were done in black and white the composition would become obtrusive to the subject and the action would get lost entirely in the bushes and the blur. Your portfolio is interesting I just don't think this is the most representative shot of your work.

Thought I'd stick my oar in. I find all this talk of technical details (DOF, Bokeh

(whatever?), etc.) all a bit over the top. For me what makes a great wildlife photo is

when it captures a moment and tells a story about the natural world. This photo does

that for me. The stork is a little hard to make out clearly so that detracts slightly but

the flamingos in the background are great and the avocet just carrying on as normal

as if to say 'ok, he's happy so he'll leave me alone now' is a nice touch too. The only

thing I can't help doing is comparing it to Anup Shah's photo from last year's British

Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition which looks to me to have possibly

been taken at the same place. Shah's photo is considerably more dramatic (see here:

http://internt.nhm.ac.uk/jdsml/wildwin/2004/

ad_picnumb.dsml?catdescrip2=abm&posdescrip2=win&picnumb=27) than this one

and that'd be my main criticism. It's good but not as good as it could be (isn't that

always the case? :) ).

I'm puzzled and frankly a bit discouraged with the issues that are being emphasized. If a picture editor had a selection of images from this site, there is no doubt in my mind that this wouldn't make the cut because of the angle of light. There is very little detail in the subject, the colors are washed out, and the eye is distracted by the bright spots on the top of the subject and the BG and FG elements. All these shortcomings would be corrected if you were shooting after dawn or just before sunset.

I like this, not sure why though. Technically I must agreed it is not fantastic especially the lighting which I think is noon time, but I guess it has a raw appeal of the law of nature. Congrats!

I frankly like the "High Noon" look of this one. Prettier light would not have made a pretty picture, since death at high noon is a graphic and harsh reality that will never be pretty. I think that the harsh light emphasizes the harshness of the environment and of the struggle to survive--and the even harsher reality of a sudden and unexpected death. When I think of the plains of Africa, I think of the sun beating down, of endurance at best and death at worst. I think that this photo succeeds admirably at what it attempts to show.

 

The indifference of the beautiful bird in the foreground only adds to the horror of death, always an experience that one must undergo alone, whether one is human or not, as the world continues to spin and others continue to live out their lives and their struggles amidst situations that are mixtures of ugliness and beauty.

 

In spite of the harsh theme, the photo does have some strong aesthetic qualities for me, from the flamingos in the background and the reflection of the jackal in the water to the band of green in the foreground. Even in this very beautiful world, death is happening all around us all the time.

 

Congratulations once again, Eugene.

 

--Lannie

a link to the horizontal framing of this scene: http://www.photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=3634134&size=lg

Good choice for POW in my opinion.

 

No heavy photoshopping...;-)

 

Unique subject matter and interesting out-of-focus elements. Great mix of colors.

 

The wader bird at left lends an element of nonchalance to the scene.

 

It also appears that it has not been cropped.

 

My compliments to the photographer for being there and capturing the moment.

Good choice for POW in my opinion.
No heavy photoshopping...;-)
Unique subject matter and interesting out-of-focus elements. Great mix of colors.
The wader bird at left lends an element of nonchalance to the scene.
It also appears that it has not been cropped.
My compliments to the photographer for being there and capturing the moment.

The light is what it is, and at dawn the scene did not exist, nor was the photographer there!

great photo! Can you teach me ;) ?