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Living in the country there is a lot of Stob & Wire fencing around, so when photographing different birds that tend to sit on the posts the wire often appears in shot.
Do you think the wire detracts from the shot ?
I have photographs of the same bird cropped to remove the wire.
Some people say "oh you have the dreaded barbed wire problem!"
Is it a problem ?
It's throughout the countryside and we are all used to seeing wildlife sitting on it.
I would be interested to read others perception of it.
Thank You in advance for your time and consideration.
Rhona
| Brand: | Canon |
| Camera: | Canon EOS 7D |
| Lens: | 50-500mm |
| Recording media: | JPEG (digital) |
| Date Taken: | 3 May 2012 - 11:18 AM |
| Focal Length: | 500mm |
| Lens Max Aperture: | f/6.2 |
| Aperture: | f/13.0 |
| Shutter Speed: | 1/800sec |
| Exposure Comp: | +1/3 |
| ISO: | 640 |
| Exposure Mode: | Shutter speed priority AE |
| Metering Mode: | Multi-segment |
| Flash: | Off, Did not fire |
| Title: | Meadow Pipit |
| Username: | 
borderslass |
| Uploaded: | 6 May 2012 - 8:47 PM |
| Tags: | Meadow pipit, Wildlife / nature |
| VS Mode Rating |
99 (0% won) These stats show the percentage of wins and the rating score that your photo has achieved. You can go to the VS Mode by clicking on this icon. Signup to e2Signup to e2 to see which photo this has won or lost against in the vs mode |
| Votes: | Voting Disabled |
 | Critique Wanted |
| Modifications Welcome (Upload a Modification) |
Comments
Hi Rhona,
Many of the finest bird shots on this site include barbed wire. The question for me would always be, does it distract from the subject or not, and if not, then leave it.
With this particular shot (which is quite a nice shot), I am first drawn by the fact the wire, post and bird are all tiled lower at the left than right, so I would straighten and crop to place the bird on a third. having done that, the shot is flat, with very little contrast, so I would address that issue, and then see how the result looks with the wire in. If the wire contributed to the shot, - for example it was on a third, I would be inclined to include it.
The result is in the mods, and I for one like it with or without, and that because the wire ends up very low in the straightened shot. I would have a personal preference for the wire to look old and rusted, as it adds to the shot, so this shot would work with or without since the wire is new.
Hope this is helpful,
regards
Willie
Thanks Willie, I see where you are going with the straightening of the wire. I always try to place the main subject slightly off centre leaving space for the subject to look into. I was lying on the ground photographing up the way, giving me a blue sky background, that does tend to make images appear flat right enough. I do have other shots of the pipit with a diffused foliage background but still with the barbed wire lol, they might work better.
Thanks for your time and the modifications.
Thanks Ams99, that idea wouldn't work for me, but I do appreciate you taking the time to look and reply 
Rhona,
I was just reading through Willie's critique which is excellent advice and I went and had a look at the mods that had been uploaded and I feel that the barbed wire is now a distraction after it has been straightened because it is so close to the base of the image. There is a technique in Photoshop CS5 using the content aware fill to add more to the bottom of your image. I have uploaded a mod myself where I have added some to the bottom of the image, I've cropped off some of the right side rather than the left side because to me, the bird is looking left and I think it balances the image better. I have also straightened the barbed wire but I used the warp tool instead of the straightening tool so that you don't lose any off the bottom. I then sharpened the image.
Hope this helps
DaVeS
Rhona,
My apologies, my first modification was uploaded in the wrong colourspace, I use prophoto which EPZ doesn't display correctly and forgot to convert it back to sRGB. I've uploaded a second version with the correct colourspace.
DaVeS
DaveS,
Yes I agree, and like the extra space at the bottom, thanks for that.
I mentioned previously I always try and leave space on the side the subject is looking into, so I am happy with that aspect of the composition of my original image.
It was a question of do people find the barbed wire a No No. lol
I can see that simple things like straightening the wire makes a difference, I suppose it is akin to Ye Olde Tip, watch your horizons as it distracts the eye.
Thanks very much to everyone for their modifications and input, much appreciated.
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