Tuesday, October 6

Dead Bird

Contributed by E McDougal

I took this picture for the "missing" assignment. I know its a little edgy but the concept of Life being the missing subject was cool. I did a levels adjustment and changed some of the saturation so that the yellow would stand out a little more. Overall I really like the outcome.

28 comments:

Anonymous said...

The concept behind this photo is extremely interesting. The color of the bird itself stands out so well, it immediately draws the eye, as does the blurring in the background. I think that if the photo itself had not turned out as well, I wouldn't like it, with the bird being dead and all, but it seems so artistically done that it's easier to pallet. The bird being dead is so sad, but it establishes a very deep meaning. I'm very impressed that the artist was willing to do something like this, it really says something about artist dedication and daring.

SD SPHS

Kyle Williams said...

My old photography teachers main pet peeve was that we never got close enough to our subject matter, so that became one of my main ideas in photography in general, so I like how close the picture is, you can even see the toenails. Its a great picture

Anonymous said...

I like the way that you interpreted the assignment. I also like how the bird is the object in focus, which shows that it is important. I think that this image really gets peoples attention, because its a surprising subject. Nice Job! BF sphs

Elaine said...

So I like this picture in some ways. I like viewpoint of the bird. I thought it was a bug at first, and didn't really care, because I don't like bugs, but when I saw it was a dead bird I felt sad and somewhat didn't like this picture for a bit.

Anonymous said...

This picture does a great job of using an out of focus background in order to bring focus and clarity to the subject. Do you think the dead bird could have taken up just a little bit more of the frame (maybe it could show the immense impact of death or some other sort of abstract idea?)? MB. SPHS

Anonymous said...

This is really sad :( . I'm not really into this kind of stuff but it is a really interesting picture. It's not the typical 'dark picture of death', in fact it's pretty bright and lively. I like the way the bird is the total focus and everything else is blurred out. I also noticed that the bird is so focused that you can almost see every outline of each feather.
AL- SPHS 10-07-09

Unknown said...

I really like the composition of this photo. The way you brought the camera down to the ground to the perspective of the bird was also really cool. It also really showed the idea of "missing." Yes the picture is a bit creepy because the bird is indeed dead... but it really portrays the assignment. Nice work!

Anonymous said...

Emily, as bad as it may sound, I really enjoy looking at this picture. Not because there is a dead bird but because of the bright colors and the neat perspective. It's almost as if we are looking at the bird through the eyes of a mouse, which is not an everyday perspective. Also, I love how the background is blurred focusing on the bird and the line that cuts across the photo. Overall this is a very creative photo for the topic that was assigned. Great job! PT-SPHS

Anonymous said...

This photo is quite grim. But I like it, the way the bird is placed in the lower third it makes it more interesting. Also the simplified background makes it pop out and really makes the entire photo.

Austin Larson - ERHS said...

This photo has a very nice concept to it. I like the birds positioning and the depth you used. My only dislike, is not seeing the birds face as I would have done. The photo also shows just a mood that You don’t see that often: A mood of sadness. You think anyone’s going to notice it’s lying there until they hit it?

Anonymous said...

I love how this picture portrays a strong seriousness. The depth of field and clarity is amazing. I like how this picture is telling a story. This is overall a great picture.
ERHS-SM

Anonymous said...

This is a really good picture. The depth of field is perfect, as the bird as obviously the subject of the picture. The angle that you captured the bird from is also really good; the way that the leg is sticking up emphasizes the emotion of the picture that I think you were trying to express. The coloring and cars in the picture are perfect, as it makes it seem like the bird is all alone. Really good and powerful picture.

-MKM, SPHS

Anonymous said...

I really like this picture - the color adjustments and aperture size are perfect, and the colors on the bird really stand out well. However, I do think this image could have been improved greatly had you chosen another angle to shoot the bird at - if you had moved a little to the right to take your shot, perhaps you could have captured more of the head of the bird, and gotten a nice vertical line from the sidewalk, but I'm not sure if you had your reasons for shooting at this angle or not. Overall, however, this is a brilliant subject and good catch by you.

-Ross SPHS

Anonymous said...

I really like this shot especially since the subject is so unique. The only problem i have with the shot is that it does not really look like a dead bird and the setting really does not look that real either. But i do love the fact that the subject is out the norm.
MB

Anonymous said...

This is a great photo. The bird immediately catches your attention because the bird is the main subject in focus and the background is blurred. The leading lines in the sidewalk also point to the bird which allows it to be the main subject. I also like the theme of missing life. This is a very cool idea. Good job. ATP SPHS

Anonymous said...

I like how the bird really stands out in the picture. The background being out of focus and the yellow on the bird brings eyes straight to the intended subject. I also like that the subject is very close. Being able to see the smaller normally unnoticeable features adds so much to the picture.
KSS SPHS

Anonymous said...

This shot is so great. The concept is a little edgy, but it's very honest and I love that about it. The colors are vibrant and lively in contrast to the fact that it's a dead bird, which shows that death is still part of life.

eci

Anonymous said...

It's not everyday you take a picture of a dead bird. Anyway, I like how the yellow stands out and how the bird is clearly in focus. The depth of field is very nice. I really think this picture is sad but the colors are bright and lively which is different when talking about the subject of death. I also get a sense of mystery because I wonder what actually happened to the bird because there is nothing wrong with the bird seen in the photo. Very nice photo but poor bird. :(

~TN SPHS

Anonymous said...

This photograph that has alot of symbolism such as how nature is being out done by the grip of industry and human destruction. The focus is on the bird and not the back round because the back round is blurred out. this can also symbolize the fading of humanity but the everlasting immortality of nature.

Anonymous said...

Wow...interesting. You don't see good-looking photos of roadkill very often, but this one is strangely appealing. The bird is very bright in comparison to its background, and without any scratches or scars or debris in the road, it looks surprisingly "clean" for a picture of a dead thing. Cool photo. -J.B.

Anonymous said...

I like the subject in this picture. Choosing a dead bird for a subject is really unique from my point of view. I also like the way the picture looks like you've laid on the ground to take it. Also the way the building in the background was blurred out really impresses me. GREAT PIC!
SPHS- K.U

Anonymous said...

The color of the bird really stands out. The depth of field in this picture is perfect. I like how the focus is only on the bird and the background is blurry. However, I think the photo would have been better if it was taken from another angle. I personally, think the head of the bird should be shown. I like how one of the bird's legs is sticking up. It shows the suffering of the bird. Nice subject! -SPHS, KS

Unknown said...

The picture is distinctly morbid, yet I strangely find that I like it here. The angle of the camera allows for something that is often seen, a dead bird, but never really noticed to become the main focus of the scene. The contrast of the bird and background, both in color and life seem is excellent.
JCB Sphs

Mr. Myers said...

Interesting subject and camera angle. DOF is also right on as well as your focal point. I agree about wanting to see the face, but I don't blame you for moving the subject. The less than horizontal background gives the image a bit of an uneasy feeling.
Nice eye.

Victoria D. - ERHS said...

This picture obviously stands out a lot. Not only is it a dead bird but the colors on it are unusual which makes it pop out. The only thing in focus is the bird which is a good idea. You can see every detail on it, including the nails. I’m not sure why you would take a picture of this though. It’s a little morbid.
VD-ERHS

Anonymous said...

You usually never see a picture of a dead bird. It is kind of sad. But the angle and how low the picture was taken from the ground is really cool. I love how the background of the picture is blurry so your not concentrating on the background. Your concentrating on the actual bird. The picture is crystal clear.

Anonymous said...

The colors in this picture are very bright but the picture is still sad. I like the way the focus is on the bird and the background is blurry that take the attention off the background and on the bird. choosing a dead bird for a subject is kind of neat but kind of sad. When i look at the picture i automatically think about what happened to the bird.

cj sps

Anonymous said...

This picture is really good and interesting for more then one reason. One being the subject matter being a dead bird grabs your attention right from the start. Secondly the way that the picture captures the bird so close and also how you blurred the background which brings even more attention to the bird. Although its sad that the bird died, haha good job:)