Abstract or No? by darylo

Abstract or No?

I love this photo, but bird photography has its challenges. For me, the successful capture incorporates 3 things. 1) a sense of natural habitat, 2) great focus on the wings or eyes or both (preferably in action) and 3) a narrative--something the birds do that make the photography unique. Often, I can get 1 and 2, but the third element is hard because it requires a bunch more patience (and a ton of bad photos with the good).

I love this photo because it feels abstract. The gull is washing his beak or attempting to catch some very small or invisible matter coming out of a running water pipe that feeds into the gulf. I loved the swirls of water and the bubbles on the sand, his beak emersed, and the shadows of the wings. I wouldn't know it was a bird on first glance--so I think of it as an abstract. What do you think?

Best on black.
not abstract, those wingtips give it away, but it has a certain something for sure
April 6th, 2018  
@kali66 hmm, does an abstract require not being able to identify specific things? I was thinking the shadows and patterns dominate the scene and therefore, it's more abstract. While the wing informs me that the bird is the subject, the overall scene is abstract.
April 6th, 2018  
it has a nice dynamism.. , i think an abstract has more emphasis on the overall composition tying together... , what you are seeing by the sound of it, but for me i see the bird first., the contrast between the dark tones on the bird with its the shadow and the lighter background elements keeps it centre stage.. just my opinion :).
April 6th, 2018  
even the vignetting emphasises the bird as a single subject...
April 6th, 2018  
I love this action shot you have captured of the gull. My eyes go straight to the bird and the great shadow. I like the image as a whole but my mind doesn't say abstract.
April 6th, 2018  
@kali66 thanks! I see that more now, especially with the vignetting (which I didn't originally employ). Dynamism. Thanks!
April 6th, 2018  
@pamknowler thanks!
April 6th, 2018  
Neat
April 6th, 2018  
Absolutely stunning on black as you said.
Not abstract. There is too much detail that defines the subject and the surroundings @kali66 makes some very good points. If you had posted just a portion of the bird perhaps then it would have qualified as an abstract.
April 7th, 2018  
I agree not abstract but what a great moment for a bird shot...pity re the focus being narrow. The shadow is wonderful as is the water bubble
April 7th, 2018  
Great shot
April 7th, 2018  
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