Dead Space, Dead photo?

[AndrewPDX]

Here's another one of my foxy friends from up on San Juan Island, Washington. This is probably the weakest of my fox set, but I wanted to check in with you guys and see what you thought. The focus was a little soft, so I really couldn't crop in any further. Do you guys like the composition, or is the little fellow drowning in a sea of empty grass?



D5000
70-200 f/2.8 @
200mm f/4.5
1/1250 s
ISO 200
0 EV

[Stryker]

I think the dead center composition is not doing the image any favours. Maybe you should remove 20% form the left and everything from just below fox, so as to place the subject in the lower left rectangle so to speak. That would probably have better impact.

[NgaiHill]

Agree, dead centre not so great. I don't think you'd want to crop any closer though. I read your question before I scrolled down to the picture so was prepared for a small fox in a large field but the fact that he is lying/crouching in the grass shows he is trying to hide so I don't think it matters as much that he has so much grass around him.
Great shot!

[BigFuzzy]

Strangely, the dead center thing works for me here. It's like a flash of color (or non-color technically) in a sea of colorlessness. It has a nice symmetry feel for me.

I would, however, suggest you look at it in b&w and see if that works. I say that because none of the colors in this image really add anything to the overall image, so why not take advantage of the contrast, and patterns and detail and do a nicely processed b&w?

[Laurenbiz]

I like the dead-center here, and I like the fact that it is slightly tilted. Your 'off-kilter' feel with the composition is a nice fit with the facial expression of the subject!

My concern is the focus. The focus was probably set at AF, and your focus decided to rest on the grass right in front of the animal. The animal's face itself is soft. You may want to experiment with manual focus with this guy, if you can catch him again! :-)

[Sterling]

I agree with Fuzzy and Lauren that the centred composition works. Especially with those eyes looking straight into the lens.

[mrteacherdude]

I agree with the three above; centered works for this one. The composition allows me to extend beyond the image to see the fox in a sea of grass. A tighter crop would not allow me to do this.