Asymmetry in my images appeals to me, particularly with birds in flight. Yesterday I got two successive photos like that of a Northern Harrier as it quickly changed direction.
Plus my take on the merits of digital frames around our images.
Yesterday was yet another slow day for birds at Farmington Bay WMA. But this harrier had been playing long-distance tag with another harrier and while paying more attention to the other bird than to me it approached my moving pickup closer than this species usually does. I barely got my pickup stopped and my lens out the window in time to fire off a few quick shots.
It was flying mostly low, slow and level with its wings in a horizontal position but when it unexpectedly juked to alter direction in flight I managed to get two successive photos with its wings in interesting positions as it began to turn. Usually in this situation because of the rapid change in direction and speed I lose focus on the bird or cut off body parts or both but this time I was lucky.
I like this second shot slightly better because the asymmetry is provided more by the flight angle of the banking bird in the frame than by the relative wing positions. I’m not particularly fond of the boring background in either shot but decent photos of shy harriers in flight always get my juices flowing.
Regular readers of Feathered Photography likely noticed the narrow frames around these images immediately because this is the first time I’ve ever used them. I’m not a fan of digital frames for a variety of reasons. I think they tend to distract from the subject and often they’re not particularly attractive anyway. I’m of the opinion that digital frames often overpower the image and more often than not they’re used in a futile attempt to somehow enhance mediocre photos. The frames in these two images are only 3 pixels wide but I still think they distract from the bird to some small degree.
However with these photos I felt the frames were the lesser of two evils. The very pale blue sky in the background matched the slightly grayer blog page background so closely that without the frames it was difficult to tell where one ended and the other began. Thus the frames to provide visual boundaries.
I’m not trying to start a war about the merits of digital frames. If you’re a frame fan by all means keep using them.
But I’m not and I won’t.
Ron
I like the images. I am not a fan of the frames. 🙂 I am a fan of the word juked. 🙂
I like that word too, Arwen. For some reason I keep forgetting to use it at appropriate times.
I don’t pay much attention to symmetry/asymmetry, rule of thirds, or the like. I like an image if a photographer follows, or ignores, all the “compositional techniques” but still creates interesting, informative, unusual images. So far, all your photos are all those. I also agree with framing only to differentiate from the background.
As they say, Lyle – rules are made to be broken…
Add me to the chorus. Singing in tune even (which is not a given).
A big YES to the harrier photos and a resigned yes to the use of a frame this time.
Thank you, EC.
I’m a big fan of raptors, and getting good flight images of Harriers has got to be a major challenge. Getting good images as they’re rapidly changing directions provides another level of difficulty! Isn’t is amazing how quickly they can change? That sight generally drops my jaw to the ground. Again, if I tried something like that, I’d be back on the floor, but I don’t have wings either. Again, that’s a serious human design flaw. 😉
As for the frame, I’m with you both on the necessity of using the frame in this instance and the use of frames overall. Sometimes evils are necessary, so all you can do is choose the lesser option.
Laura, they’re definitely tough subjects to photograph. I’ve always wondered if they earned the name “harrier” in part because they “harry” bird photographers at least as much as they do prey… 🙂
Anyone who has struggled and tried and tried to get good in-flight photos of Harriers will appreciate these photos. Excellent photos Ron. I think the digital frames are definitely needed here with such a neutral sky.
Thank you, Everett.
Ron, I am not a fan of digital frames as well, but in this case, I agree, they are justified. I think I like the second image better as well. Better definition of the birds tail would be my reason and also it would have been better if the bird were lower with some background. but hey, getting good shots of Harriers for me is a rarity so I wouldn’t be complaining.
Good point about the tail in that second photo, Frank.
Superb shots Ron! Thanks for sharing Ron!
Thanks, Charlotte.
Love the Harrier photos – body/wing positions are beautiful showing of the contrast in coloring between the upper and lower surfaces of the wings.:) In this case the digital frame is needed – sort of – to tell where the photo ends BUT they can be a bit of a distraction….. 😉
Judy, if I hadn’t wanted to make a point about digital frames I might not have included them in these photos, despite the color similarities they were meant to help with.