Daybreak

[Michael_2010]

Each time I go out looking for something to shoot I try to put some of the things I have learned here in practice, using both the technical settings and the basic rules of composition. The following capture lines up with the 3rd's grid to such an extent that it almost becomes rigid.

As for a specific question, should I try to get rid of those very faint birds off in the distance that look a little like smudges? In general, does this one work? Does it show an improvement from a technical standpoint?
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Camera: Canon EOS Digital Rebel XSi
Exposure: 0.022 sec (1/45)
Aperture: f/8.0
Focal Length: 50 mm (nifty fifty)
ISO Speed: 100
Exposure Bias: 0 EV
Flash: Off, Did not fire

Updated:

[fotoworx]

Personally I love the photo, like you said I think the only thing you might want to do is take out the distant birds, nice photo.


Photography Tips

[RecurrentNerve]

I like it. Nice colours and composition.

I think removing some of the birds in the background wouldn't hurt. The only possible problem is that your eye naturally follows the jetty into the distance but then has to bounce back to the heron, it kind of jars a little. If you don't mind a bit of trickery you could try moving the bird to the right-hand third instead. Thanks to the well defined colours in the horizon it should be fairly simple and shouldn't show.

[Michael_2010]

Thanks for the input. I've been thinking those little birds in the background need to go. I will also play around with moving the main bird. I'm still a little haphazard with that stuff, but learning.

I typically share some of my photos with family, friends and a couple of local web sites. While this was one of my favorites taken out of many I shot this weekend, the one with a guy and a fishing pole seems to get all the attention. Has anyone else noticed that as soon as you add a human figure into a landscape it draws more attention? It can be a detailed shot or a silhouette. Doesn't much matter. Anything human seems to pull people in.

[navcom]

Great comp Michael. It's a great shot...compelling and moody. I agree...get rid of the background birds and also the little vertical lines on the horizon which appear to be the remnants of another pier?

[Michael_2010]

Originally Posted by navcom

Great comp Michael. It's a great shot...compelling and moody. I agree...get rid of the background birds and also the little vertical lines on the horizon which appear to be the remnants of another pier?

Thanks Navcom! I think those were channel markers out in the middle of the bay and a pleasure boat that was too far out to add much to the scene.

[NgaiHill]

Nice shot, love the colours. Agree with the other comments above regards the little birds.
Re the human element - perhaps by adding the human to a picture it allows the viewer to relate more to the scene....
No Human "I'd never get to travel to see that"
Human "Wow, that could be me"
I dunno, thats just my thought anyway

[Michael_2010]

Yeah, people can relate to a human figure even when they don't care a thing about the landscape in general. I've just started to notice that lately and found it to be interesting. It would be interesting to do a test. Take a great landscape shot with all the right things going for it and see how many viewers it gets. Then take the exact same landscape and add a person in an appropriate pose. I bet there would be no comparison in the numbers.