The Bird Watches

This picture is not manipulated.

 

Let me know what you think the bird saw in this picture.

 

All critiques are welcomed. Thank you.

It's a moody shot. You're very good with sunsets, sunrises. It's kind of melancholy with the dark clouds up top and the bird clinging on to a fragile stalk. But I like ambiguity; it leads me to dream.

Perfect mood, best regards.

Micki,

 

Although scientists generally agree birds are descended from dinosaurs, they are quick (not lumbering denizens of some swampy, marshy area, too big to have their legs support their bodies as depicted in many early texts). Like many dinosaurs, they are super-quick and quick to take flight.

 

You asked what does this bird see, and he sees a bird watcher (and photographer) and is indeed a bird watcher watcher him/herself. At least he/she/it is not playing the broken wing trick; maybe because you are not so threatening as a hawk nearby, or flopping itself on its back to pretend like it's dead, as a chicken or a pigeon might do, legs in the air (Credit Animal Planet for video of those).

 

But sure as shootin' this bird is watching you and your funny little capture box, not set to capture him (but this bird doesn't know that), so the bird is assuredly eyeing you, and if you were to cross the 'threshold of comfortability' the bird would quickly wing it.

 

 

I like the photo (as well as your unusual question).

 

What I don't know is whether birds see color (dog's we know don't, and other animals do) I think they do, probably.

 

(I might post a different comment if I knew you were in a 'bird blind' or dressed in camouflage . . . ;-))

 

Best wishes.

 

John (Crosley)

 

(not rated)

A very good shot. Great colours, and silhouette. Best regards, Torfinn.

A beautiful shot, Micki!

I would say....a great shot, Micki.

I have shot these "stalks" so many times in so many ways in many different places along this water.

 

They are a treat to shoot and I also love to look at ALPO'S pictures of the same thing from across the world.

 

John, I love how you wonder what the bird is looking at and it intrigues you why I would put that in the comments.

 

Yes, I know exactly what the bird is lookig at since I was there. I was able to see over these stalks and have a peek. I was not planning on taking pictures of the sunset and this place is just three piles from my house.

 

We don't STALK (no pun intended HA) out a place to go sunset shooting but if the time is right we got take a few. As we were driving home I told Andrew to go stop as some clouds just left and the sun was going down. We stopped by the place where a little fishing area is and we got out and we started taking pictures and this bird was facinated at me taking pictures.

 

There were three at first and then two left but one stayed. It was then that I realized that the bird was looking at me then back at a boat that was passing by over at the water. I took several pictures of it looking at me then the boat and it actually became a game.

 

I left the bird as the bird never flew off. HE won the staring match. BUT, I got the picture.

 

The funny thing is I don't like taking pictures of birds nor do I rate birds unless something else in the picture makes it really facinating.

 

Mainly because I think if you can get a moving object in a picture JUMP FOR JOY! HA!!!

 

Truthfully I am not a bird watcher and just don't care but this bird and I had a connection and was hoping that this picture would convey that.

 

No manipulation was done because none was needed. It will go down as one of my favorite pictures because it is perfect as is. THIS is when I feel I have finally succeeded in my quest for needing a better camera and have outgrown my little fuji point and shoot. But then again would a REBEL fit in my purse?

 

Thank you for the comment I really appreciate it and I'm glad you got my hidden meaning in the question. ~ micki

 

Oh, I was actually wearing black and burgandy as we went out for my favorite thing SUSHI YUM! Hey, maybe THAT was what the bird was so jealous of.

It's a beautiful shot! And I am so glad you didn't "paint" it! It is perfect as is! (as are many of your other shots!) But this caramel sky is beautiful!! And the bird is perched perfectly for you. Bravo on an excellent shot!!

HA, but you know I have four others...

 

Hmm I just loved the way the sky turned right at this moment. It is all about timing with these shots and that is what this is. AND, guess what? You can say I got a bird picture! HA

love the tobacco sky and the reeds and you have done Alpo quite an honor with this one. i too am happy you have not processed this one. it truely is perfect proving that you don't need a new camera. lol. looks like a RWB (thats redwing blackbird for you non-bird people) by the way. bella, magnifique. J.K.

That`s what the southern bird thinks, at least in my imagination... ;-D

 

Micki, thank you for your thought while posting this! This is so very lovely capture of the passing moment! Your image is multiple times clearer than my reed-images and that bird really crowns the capture. :-) I join to the group of your friends whom enjoy the unmanipulated version, but I am also absolutely sure, that the manipulated version is an worthy opponent to this one. I am curious to get to see the strong color-fields and the simplified tones at this kind of image. I presume that the vertical lines may present a somekind of challenge to the manipulation... Let`s see, when you get it done.

 

Alpo

Well done, great composition and capture. Best regards :)

Great color and composition, nice capture of the bird, silhouette.

very good counter light and composition..congrats.regards

Alpo, I think we both should could this OUR type of thing! OUR nitch as they say ;). Of course you have the DOF down and I have the "fly by the seat of my pants don't don't know what in the world I'm doing think I might manipulate it for fun" thing going too! ;)

 

Kazimiera, John and Mehmet thank you for saying my composition was good. I can't believe I got this with just a click and not thinking.

 

Even I was thrilled. ~ BIG SMILE!!

micki, you earned the praise. it doesn't matter if the shot took hours or seconds, like andre agassi says "Image is Everything." i can tell from the silhouette that the bird is most likely a RWB as they are the most prominent marsh dwellers that perch on stalks. take care, J.K.

Absolutely beautiful Micki!!!!!

Micki-- A wonderful, thoughtful, peaceful photo. There is solitude and isolation amid warmth and beauty. This is, to me, not a bird photo, but a story photo. I can feel something coming directly from you in this. It's not just pretty (which it surely is), it's expressive and full of emotion. The contrast of the tall sharp reeds and the softer, lighter, moving whatever-they-ares is very effective, the bird standing tall above it all. OK, one critique, hard to do but possible in such lighting. A little more detail maintained in the lowest clumps of grass would provide a somewhat more pleasing ground on which all this occurs and a bit of depth where now my eye feels a little blocked.

Very original capture and synthesis Micki.

beautiful image with such great light the bird is just the iceing on the cake, very well done Micki super image.

Nice picture! Subdued and low saturated colors show a good taste! Did you hear that Richard? Nothing to do with yours, of course, ha!

 

Cheers to that!

 

PDE

I said just one more please. I am glad I did. I stood on the top of the car almost over these reeds. It was beautiful.

 

One of my favorites of all my pictures.

Still takes MY OWN breath away.