Well, for one thing the Black Swan book isn't a novel... Beyond that, it feels like this image is an opportunity missed: the processing is curiously muddy where it could have been rich and deep, as befits a bird of such funereal plumage. I like the eye.
a little cramped, but his eye and clumpy feathering are engaging. That Taleb is one busy guy, I wouldn't be surprised if he starts to write novels, or indeed turns everything into a novel. extraordinary to be inspired by his writings to produce this. I find his observations profoundly depressing.4
Processing seems harsh, and we now have a grey goose. Now I need a drink. ;)
Seriously though, the book is about anything but a black goose. I'm sure you'll find an explanation for my outlier vote of 3. ;) (reference to novel... Hope you get it)
Bumping to 4. In context it is better than I first found it to be.
4...nice detail in the feathers but the B&W conversion needs some help. It seems mostly middle zones, no real blacks and very few white whites to give the image a nice pop. Overall it seems flat. That could also be due to the light...probably a combo of the two. And one last thing, the inner curve of the neck is quite graceful, I just wish you hadn't chopped the bit off the top.It stops the movement of my eye through the image, it fights the curve.
Similar image to one of the book covers. It meets the challenge well. I would have liked sharper focus on the beak and eye and perhaps sharper contrast in color, but I do like it. A 6 from me.
This book had quite an impact on me. It's not a novel, by the way, though I don't care much about such distinctions. I like the crop/framing. That saves it from being a mere shoehorn wildlife photo. You've created a rather menacing vice, like the trap that awaits you when you're not ready for the next black swan. 6
Good subject. I would have liked the focus to be spot on to bring out more details - could be the camera limitations. I also do not like the crop on the top but that might be all you could get. For me is just a 5 Good luck.
Definitely a black swan, and even an outlier. Would have liked a little more distinction between the black and the grey. The chopped top of the neck is a distraction as well. 5
You have quite the black swan here, so definitely meet the challenge. Unfortunately said swan is heavily over-processed. The feathers and eye look too unnatural and robs the beast of it's beauty and elegance.
The task of this challenge is a little like the Black Swan theory. "The extreme impact of certain kinds of rare and unpredictable events (outliers) and humans' tendency to find simplistic explanations for these events retrospectively" ;) I like the pose, mono secures a black swan too. The image has a pleasing graphic about it.5.
I like how you've filled the frame with the head and neck and part of the back. I like the B&E... but I would have liked to had seem more contrast, or even a softer look.
Good fitting title.
Gave it a 5
I remember that the idea of the Black Swan event depends on the observer.
This being said, I believe that you mostly illustrated the title.
What I believe is a flaw here is the lack of a certain mathematical/geometrical meaning to your image: the cropping of the beautiful head of the swan seems random, more cropping might have had more impact or the entire graceful curve would have made it even better. There are more variables such as the grey triangle on the upper left corner, the indecisive composition.
6
Add photograph to your favorites
Add photographer to your favorites
Photographer found comment helpful.
