Everone disagrees with me but I find seagulls beautiful. You have a lovely capture here and, like all good portraits, the image really shows the personality of this bird.
Good luck!
You're going to take a few hits for meeting the challenge, and I'm not sure I would agree that it meets the challenge. Perhaps so. Interesting shot, but the white background (which you couldn't help!) takes something away.
I have a problem with this shot but its not that it is an animal. I've found several animal shots quite good portraiture but in this selection you have a very static subject in that the bird is centered and nothing seems to set it apart. The viewer cannot make contact with the eyes because they are too deep set. I can understand not wanting to flash the resting animal but with a portraiture subject that is not too captivating with composition or emotive expression, then I really need to see the eyes to make some connection. A little selective Levels or Curves work might have brought out something of the eyes to demonstrate some "personality". You got a good capture of a bird but it lacks in the portraiture genre. This falls into the same "Candid" section as some of the photos of people where you can't make personal contact with them either through watching them with an expressive look or by looking directly into their eyes. The subject doesn't have to always make eye contact with the viewer but here the stance/posture just don't convey anything compelling and you've lost the intimacy in the darkness around the eyes. Heck of a bird shot, tho. You do lose a little definition on top of the head with the light colored background and the feathers. Good tones throughout the subject.
I just love these....all....gull shots. They are flying rats I know but great to photograph. You've reall caught his colors well. He is giving the viewer a hard look. Good shootin'!!
Add photograph to your favorites
Add photographer to your favorites
