what's right or wrong here?

[digitalfingers]

I was lucky enough to get a rare glimpse of this Egret in my local park, never mind to get this shot! It has received some amazing feedback on other sites but there is divided opinion over whether to leave the reflection in or take in out in pp and are there any other suggestions?. I would value some advice from someone who perhaps has a better understanding of wildlife photography if possible. I have another version where the wings are cloned out and the bird on the left of frame. I will post it later.

[Troy]

Personally i like the reflection, it adds a little something extra to the shot. However, i'll reserve a proper opinion until i see the other version.

[digitalfingers]

OK, here's the Edited version, I made it a bit wider and removed the reflection, I also added a bit of head room.


Egret in Flight by D.J.Flynn, on Flickr

[Troy]

Now that i've seen the new one, it definitely looks better to me. The removal of the reflection puts all my attention on the subject, and the extra room to the right gives space for your subject to look into. All in all a great shot, and an impressive edit.

[digitalfingers]

Thanks for your input Troy. I prefer the edited version too but opinions have been divided elsewhere!!

[Troy]

Can't you just go out and shoot it again in a range of styles to please everyone? God Dave, just lazy!

[digitalfingers]

Yeah right!

[ALwin]

Dave, trying to please everybody pleases nobody.

As for the photo, from a design perspective the first one you posted with the reflection will work only if it was a full reflection. The partial reflection you have does not work at all, for me at least.

[digitalfingers]

Thanks Aung, I did think that too when I first looked at the image which is why I edited the wings out. and moved the bird. One of those situations where the camera was in landscape mode whilst following the bird, I think it would have been a much better shot in portrait orientation.

[simon3116]

The second version works better with the extra space around it but I like the wingtips in the first shot.

Maybe an edit of the first shot like the second shot but with the wings reflected would work?

Both shots are very good though.

[ALwin]

Dave, most times it's better not to offer different versions other than perhaps different sizes of the same composition (e.g. for use as wallpapers on different computer screen resolutions). It's your photo, you took it because you had a vision of how you wanted it to look in the final output. When you were holding the camera and preparing to take the photo, you didn't have people standing beside telling you their different opinions of how you should frame the composition did you?

If you want to post different versions, do it as a Before and After set, maybe a step by step explanation of how the original image file on the memory card was transformed into the final product you envisioned.

[singingsnapper]

I'm with troy and Aung on this. Great Shot, but seeing part of the reflection takes away from the shot, because it makes me think what pity it was that you didn't get the whole of the reflection in. The edit is great.

[maaxjhon]

I would value some advice from someone who perhaps has a better understanding of wildlife photography if possible.

thanks for sharing.

matthewrochow.com/facebook-app-development.html

[evemore87]

Well i personally love the original than the edited one. I have no issues with the partial reflection for me it was a perfect shot. Well opinions do differ depending on our perspectives.

[Cobalt]

im def for the second one... the one with the reflection bugs me because its not the whole reflection. also love how you didnt blow out really any of the detail on the bird