How to improve taking duck photo??

[fadetoblack]

Guys never taking any bird photos before what am I doing wrong?

And how do I improve them?

 

[fadetoblack]

-_-

That's me a lesser photographer

Thanks for the above comments just messing around with ducks today

 

[fadetoblack]

I will start my comments off how I start all my other comments in this sub-forum...

I know nothing... BUT

I think if you changed the contrast and saturation of the images then they would look better immediately. As for taking better pictures of ducks/birds I don't really know what to suggest. Your images are interesting as most images I've seen of ducks/birds are from a distance and are not at the height of the duck/bird (I think what you have done, but going down to their level, is quite interesting). I would make sure the background is the lake/pond they are gathered near and not the bus stop. Finally, try not to get the bread in the shot, I didn't have a problem with this until some one pointed it out and now I can't help but see it!

No bread

p.s. I know nothing

No bread or bus stop

 

[fadetoblack]

Composition, Composition and Composition. All the post processing in the world will never improve poorly composed shots, think before you press the button, what is your main subject, where is it in the frame, what other stuff is there in the frame?

Examples

1. Messy clutered background, subject is dead centre, you've chopped his feet off.
2. Your subject blends into the background, is dead centre, has no feet and is also not clearly defined
3. Which duck were you photographing?
4. I think it's pretty obvious whats wrong with that one.

Work on the basics, the first thing for me would be 'fill the frame' make you suject fill as much of the frame as possible and secondly 'rule of thirds' try and put something interesting like an eye/face on a thirds intersection. This will instantly improve the visual appeal of your photos then you can work on the underexposure and lack of punch before finally deciding to ignore all the rules because you've developed a style tht works for you.

That's great advice thank you will go out and work on it

 

[fadetoblack]

I agree composition is where you should be looking at improving, at the moment it feels more like ducks in a photo rather than photos of ducks.

Cheers how do I get them to stand out more?

 

[fadetoblack]

A few things may help. Get down low, very low; eye-level with the duck or lower. Probably won't be able to use a view finder, so many shots may have mis-focused, but keep taking them. Use one of the side focus points, and try to get the duck a little off-centre, but looking towards open space in the frame. If you can get it looking at something interesting, or in an interesting surrounding, even better. If the surrounding/background doesn't add anything (colour, interest, framing etc), then minimise anything that will distract.

Another type of shot will be a close-up head shot looking right at you. Try to get with it's mouth opened and looking angry. This will be very difficult to get in focus.

Next step, find more interesting things to shoot. Or actually shoot them and have duck for dinner (check legality in your area).

Lol mmm roast duck

 

[fadetoblack]

Don't underestimate the importance of light, and decide on the hero in the frame.

D700 + 85mm

That's good I like it