please help!

[Celebration]

I finally decided to rule out all my zoo photos, and all my photos of raptor shows, or anything not wild, just by personal preference. I did allow for some photos from the past, though most of these are fairly recent. Please help me because I am lost. I only have a few more days in town and will not be able to take shots in this horrible weather, so I think this is it. I haven't run a poll in a long time.

Red Tailed Hawk


Beach Encounter


Formation


Sentry


Encounter in Park

[rdking647]

1. i like sentry

im kind of picky wehn it comes to wildlife and while the like the hawk its not quote sharp enought for my tastes. the birds in formation (pelicans?) is also pretty cool and Id rate it a close second

[Celebration]

2. yeah, that hawk was in the shade

My husband likes the Sentry one because that is his exact favorite fishing spot. I had to have that one blown up and put on a big canvas for his office. Even big it is very sharp and clear. I was lucky with the lighting on that one.

But the pelicans? Well, I love flying birds because they are a challenge and it seems more candid. And coming across the deer unexpectedly was a real shock, believe me. I prefer candid shots to those that are set up. I definitely didn't set up the heron (:rofl:) but I was able to take a ton of photos of that one, but just one of the flying birds in that formation, and just one decent one of the deer before it ran away. I might save the squirrel for an autumn entry sometime if we don't have decent leaves some year.

So, I really don't know. I just threw the hawk in there because I like the setting. I have sharper photos of hawks but they are perched on posts, and the background isn't as cool as the tree.

I appreciate your comments.

[Celebration]

3. Like any of these any better?

The obligatory zoo pic:

[Mira]

4. My vote goes to the squirrel. It's so in my face, I love the lighting, the background.

And IMO it's a photo that evokes lots of positive emotion. My second favorite is the formation.

[Celebration]

6. Thanks

Photographically probably the squirrel is the best in terms of lighting, etc. But it's THE most common animal, and I can save it for an autumn photo if there aren't good leaves some year. Our autumn contest generally ends before the leaves are at their best here anyway. But I made a closer up version of the squirrel in case I decide on that.

[NV Whino]

5. I voted for the pelicans

It's not the greatest photo you've ever taken, but to capture them in such perfect formation is somewhat miraculous.

[Celebration]

7. Thanks

None of these are perfect, but they are all imperfect in different ways. Of course, that is the very reason that I love taking photos of animals. It is so hard to get every element in there. And that is why I was soliciting opinions.

I am partial to the formation, too, and I actually have a version that is a much closer up version. The issue, though, is that the sky has no clouds in it, and the formation doesn't look quite as perfect. My favorite type of photo to take is flying birds, but people like my husband just don't get it. Where's the water? That is what he would say. I have tons of nice photos of flying gulls, but they are way more common than pelicans, so I kind of refuse to go with the gulls for that reason. But the average person might not get that. In the end I have to just go with what pleases me. That's hard when, if I were able to do so, I would change something about all of them.

The hawk has some drama, but beyond that I just don't see it. Fun to get that photo though.

[rdking647]

8. the heron in flight is the best of the the new photos IMHO

[Celebration]

9. I like that too!

But you and I most likely appreciate flying birds more than most.

I asked my daughter and she likes the ostrich zoo picture. :silly: If I didn't have self-imposed standards, I would use that!

[rdking647]

10. i have the same typr of quandry

im trying to avoid animals in captivity photos which eliminates my bobcat photo and all my panda shots... but ill wait until I see some of the contest entries to make a final determination about zoo/no zoo entries...

[Celebration]

12. heh heh

I'm kind of liking my ostrich. :rofl: Let's say it is a love/hate relationship. I think I'll wait around too. Given the prize in this contest, I don't particularly mind sacrificing some votes! But the ostrich is pretty cute.

[Solly Mack]

11. I like them all. 1,4 & 5 best.

So...uh...I can't decide. :)