John Leech's Photoblog
Blackpool starlings
Posted by John Leech (Grange-over-Sands, United Kingdom) on 9 April 2009 in Cityscape & Urban and Portfolio.
This was quite a sight. Its a while since I've seen birds flocking like this.
I'm sure most visitors to my pages will be familiar with Ian Bramham's photography Ian Bramham. I've followed his emerging talent since he first bought a DSLR - not that his talent took long to emerge. I'm sure any viewers who have not seen his work will appreciate this link.
Pavan Kaul from Mumbai, India
Quite a sight it is, John! And I don't just mean the birds! A wonderful and aspirational image!
9 Apr 2009 8:48am
Mike from Lichfield, United Kingdom
Perfect timing to capture the migrating birds (awesome) and nicely composed too. In the foreground the eye is lead nicely to the couple holding hands. As you know, I do have a slight issue with converging verticals and I really think Blackpool Tower would benefit from being straightened up. As it is it kind of gives me the impression that the camera is on the skew and it unsettles the picture for me a little. It's only my personal view and who am I to judge with far less experience. Still, a wonderful photo John. You're probably muttering "Idiot, hasn't a clue what he's talking about." :)
9 Apr 2009 8:57am
@Mike: Its a shot where I wouldn't give the verticals a thought if someone else didn't mention them. In theory it would be easy to correct as they are close - but it looks like it could spell big probs with the lamp at the left. The thing which really irks me is the lack of sharp focus. I was too excited to slow down and get a good shot - or to realise that if I waited the birds would do exactly what I wanted them to!
Mirza Ahmad from Thames Ditton, United Kingdom
Agree with Mike's comments above, with the same caveat. But what a wonderful capture, picture post-card perfect!
9 Apr 2009 12:34pm
Giovanni from Milan, Italy
This is a wonderful photo! Love the wide angle and those birds are fantastic! Great work!
9 Apr 2009 6:26pm
Sarah from Suisse, Switzerland
I must be a bit thick, as no idea what "verticals" are - I think this shot is brilliant and perfect as it is!
10 Apr 2009 9:20am
@Sarah: Thanks Sarah (and all). Verticals - there's a convention, particularly in architectural photography, that any vertical line, such as the side of a building, should be vertical in a finished photo. It is something I've been discussing with Mike over a few shots of late - personally, it is rarely an issue, but for some it is one of the golden rules. My only golden rule is to sell the golden rule book, especially at the current price of gold - though I do agree that some images really do need precision with verticals.
Momo from Montpellier, France
Sweeping wonderful landscape...excellent...I often try to capture the birds like this, we get lots of migrating birds here every spring and fall, but in the city it's just hard to get what you've captured so well...I'll have to try harder...here the verticals don't bug me either though I know some, myself included, sometimes have problems with horizon lines and verticals...
14 Apr 2009 3:17pm
Nikon D300
1/100 second
F/6.3
ISO 200
19 mm