bird swarm

The first four photos are from the seafront at my school, about 7am. So many birds flying over our heads as the sun rose: I think there were two flocks attacking each other or something. It was pretty spectacular. The second two are seagulls from the summer, I found the photos on my laptop and decided I liked them!


DSC06210 by ShambolicSnapshots, on Flickr


DSC06211 by ShambolicSnapshots, on Flickr


DSC06215 by ShambolicSnapshots, on Flickr


DSC06217 by ShambolicSnapshots, on Flickr

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DSC05502 by ShambolicSnapshots, on Flickr


DSC05495 by ShambolicSnapshots, on Flickr

Enjoy or loathe, take your pick.

Thanks in advance.

Hey Ameh! Here as commanded!

1 - I think this is my least favourite of the swarmy ones. I think it probably has something to do with having the sea at the bottom. I prefer the ones where the sky and birds take up the whole frame. This one just doesn't seem as interesting and the graininess of the sea at the bottom detracts from the birds and also takes over too much of the frame. But I do like the blue of the sky!

2 - Possibly one of my favourite of the swarm photos. I can't quite decide which one I like the most. I like this one because the birds are a little closer and a little bit more identifiable than in other shots. I also like the kind of low angle looking up into the sky, there is something nice about that with the clouds and the sun trying to peak through. I also quite like the darkened corners. It might have been better if there were more of them but you can't really control that. Although the colour of the other shots are nice I think that I like the mood best in this photo. I like the darkness of it along with the darkness of the birds, it seems to work well.

3 - I can't decide if I like the way the birds look here or not. Perhaps it would look better if you went closer so the birds took up the whole of the frame, then it would give a greater sense of them being a swarm. You would also then lose the distracting bit of land or sea that is in the bottom left of the frame.

4 - I kind of like how you both can and can't see the birds in this one it seems quite interesting. Compositionally I'm not sure it works that well but I do find it interesting. I like the darkness of the bottom corners in this shot. Overall with these photos I think they are quite difficult to critique and also must've been quite difficult to take the photos because in a sense you don't really have a focal point, it's just a mass of birds. This makes it quite difficult to have my eye led nicely through the photo because I am just like bird, bird, bird, if you see what I mean. There is not much compositionally you can do with this kind of photo and you can't exactly control what the birds do to make them more appealing as far as composition goes. I do like the kind of colouring and, I assume, effects that you have put on these shots.

5 - FAVE. I pretty much love everything about this photo. I love the seagull against the dramatic looking sky; how you've managed to have it placed so that the seagull is precisely on that part of the cloud that is the darkest, which makes it stand out more. I also love the light coming through the feathers, which gives the photo more depth and I also like how compositionally it's framed to the left so you have that leading room as to where the seagull will be going next and maybe we are going there too! Good shot!

6 - Looooooove the sky in this shot. It just looks so dramatic and has such amazing contrast to it. It's just a shame that the seagull doesn't stand out as much in this shot as the previous one. I think probably because of the way it is positioned and also the fact that the light isn't coming through the feathers like the previous shot so it just ends up becoming this sort of black blob. It's still a very good shot though!

I'll stop rambling! Hope that helped It's difficult to critique animal photographs because there is less control for the photographer, a lot of it comes down to luck and being at the right place at the right time. But you definitely do have a compositional eye

If you have any questions then feel free to PM me!

Bex x

This is, like, really good! Just to tell you now, better than I ever will when taking pictures of moving things. These pictures show the birds' freedom, like how they fly so fast but you capture them at a stand-still moment of awe. They are rather beautiful. I think you should just keep on snappin' those pics! You are a natural!

Hey!

These pictures are just amazing. I really love the way you have taken the picture. I love taking pictures as well especially in the morning and your pictures are just beautiful. I think you should keep on taking pictures because you are doing an amazing job. WELL DONE!

My favourite are the first two. I love how the clouds are fading away and making the birds look so beautiful and free in the morning sky!

KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK

Hey AquaMarine,

Wow! I love these. I have to say that the second to last one is definitely my favourite. I love how you've captured the bird in the picture with its wings stretched out. It's such a peaceful, clear, vivid and unique picture. The angle adds interest to it and the clouds, with all their different shades and layers, really make the perfect background.

I love all the other photographs, too. Again the last one creates such a free, peaceful image and the picture is clear but doesn't lose interest. I love the third picture, too, simply because it's so strange and unique - the birds literally look like fish swimming below the surface of water. You must have taken these on such a beautiful cloudy day.

The first picture (sorry that I'm doing these in such a random order! ) is also fairly interesting, but I have to say I don't like it quite as much as the others. The birds aren't very clear in it and the picture overall has a slightly fuzzy quality. It doesn't have much focus and so I don't really find it as interesting as the others. Still, it's not bad at all!

The fourth picture again has that interesting effect of making the bird flock look like fish swimming underneath the surface of the water. I like the picture, and it's definitely interesting - though for some reason, I have to admit that there's something that bothers me just a little about this picture. I can't really place it, though, (it's probably just personal preference!) and I still think it's quite good. It's an interesting angle.

Overall I love all of these - they definitely show such a different perspective and are very individual and interesting. I love the different angles you've used, especially in the last two photos.

On a side note, you're so lucky to live by the sea! I'm also from England (I had to laugh at your location) but I live miles and miles away from any kind of beach. It's a shame, really.

Anyway, I love the photos. Keep at it! I'd love to see some more.

~MorningMist~