How much background?

[-ST-]

Two questions, and I'm open to all comments and suggestions - thanks.

1. How much background would you include? (A/B/C)
2. Is this too much of a cliché (photog 101 stuff) with the eagle dead centre at the scooped shape of the mountains in the background?

A. Eagle with a backdrop of the shore, the city, and the mountains.

• ILCE-1
• Sony FE 200–600mm F5.6–6.3 G OSS (SEL200600G)
• 600.0 mm
• ƒ/6.3
• 1/500 sec
• ISO 160

B. Cropped so the background is more abstract

• ILCE-1
• Sony FE 200–600mm F5.6–6.3 G OSS (SEL200600G)
• 600.0 mm
• ƒ/6.3
• 1/500 sec
• ISO 160

C. Same eagle with a plain background. I walked around, so there was only sky behind it.

• ILCE-1
• Sony FE 200–600mm F5.6–6.3 G OSS (SEL200600G)
• 600.0 mm
• ƒ/7.1
• 1/500 sec
• ISO 100

 

[evacguy]

As a beginner myself, I'm not sure my comment is of much value, but for what it's worth, I don't think there is a correct answer to your question. I think it depends on (a) what is it that you are trying to convey and (b) who is your target audience. If you're interested in conveying the beauty of the environment to a general audience, I think (A) would be best, but I would want more depth of field so that the background is more in focus. If you're interested in portraying the bird in a somewhat unusual environment, to a generalist audience, I think (B) or (A) works and if to a bird lover audience, I think (B) works best. Finally, if you're interested in focusing on the bird, perhaps to a bird lover audience, I think (C) works best of the three - but I'd try to get in tighter. I don't have an issue with the central positioning of the bird.

 

[iamdlewis]

1. I would go with C. A - the focus being of the bird gets lost in the huge background and kind of leaves the post as the object that attracts the eye. B - this is better and would look better with the bird more to the left with as it is the upper right is too bright. C - I don't mind that it is centered given that the bird is looking back but I would have used a portrait crop.

2. It depends on the way the bird is moving or looking that will determine where I place it. Generally I leave space for the bird to "move" into if in flight and if still I generally try to leave space in the direction it is looking.

 

[-ST-]

Hi, Ed,

Thanks for your thoughts.

As a beginner myself, I'm not sure my comment is of much value, but for what it's worth, I don't think there is a correct answer to your question. I think it depends on (a) what is it that you are trying to convey and (b) who is your target audience.

Absolutely. And all three versions fail because I wasn't intentional on these two points.

If you're interested in conveying the beauty of the environment to a general audience, I think (A) would be best, but I would want more depth of field so that the background is more in focus.

You're right. I was trying to put the eagle in context, but that doesn't work if the background is out of focus. I'm finally realizing that the longer the focal length, the shallower the depth of field for a given F-stop - at least, it seems that way.

If you're interested in portraying the bird in a somewhat unusual environment, to a generalist audience, I think (B) or (A) works and if to a bird lover audience, I think (B) works best. Finally, if you're interested in focusing on the bird, perhaps to a bird lover audience, I think (C) works best of the three - but I'd try to get in tighter.

Yes.

I don't have an issue with the central positioning of the bird.

I was concerned that it was too corny.

Hey - thanks for playing along.

 

[-ST-]

Hi, David.

1. I would go with C. A - the focus being of the bird gets lost in the huge background and kind of leaves the post as the object that attracts the eye.

Trying to do too much in one photo - got it. And it hadn't occurred to me - that the post dominates the foreground.

B - this is better and would look better with the bird more to the left with as it is the upper right is too bright. C - I don't mind that it is centered given that the bird is looking back but I would have used a portrait crop.

On my list - Learn how to dodge and burn. I'm still too focused on what I see to step back, look at the overall photo and notice things like "the upper right is too bright." Thanks for pointing that out.

2. It depends on the way the bird is moving or looking that will determine where I place it. Generally I leave space for the bird to "move" into if in flight and if still I generally try to leave space in the direction it is looking.

I appreciate these ideas.
Thank you!