Diving Common Goldeneye drake – Splashing water – Nikon D500, f8, 1/3200, ISO 500, -0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
This diving Common Goldeneye drake photo is appealing to my eyes though it might not be for other people because it doesn’t show the eye of the drake at all and eye contact in bird and wildlife photography is important. This photo kind of breaks the “rules” of bird and wildlife but I am okay with that because for me the curtain of splashing water fanned out behind the duck’s tail is what draws me into the image along with the splashing water in front of the duck’s back. I guess this could be considered a behavioral photo of the diving duck… or of the water and how the duck’s movement causes it to behave.
Drake Common Goldeneye head on – Nikon D500, f8, 1/2000, ISO 500, -0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
Typically I also don’t like to center my subjects in the frame either because that also kind of breaks the “rules” of composition yet when I have a bird looking head on at me in the frame like this drake Common Goldeneye it practically begs to be centered and photos of birds and animals looking head on towards the viewer seem to have more impact visually when they are. I played with this photo in post processing by having the duck more to the left and more to the right and neither had as much visual impact on me as it did when the drake Common Goldeneye was centered.
By sharing these photos today my intention is to show that there are times when photographic rules can be broken because the appeal of images or the lack of appeal is all about the individual tastes of the photographer taking the photos and those of the people that view them.
Life is good.
Mia
Click here to see more of my Common Goldeneye photos plus facts and information about this species.
these are great shots, Love these little guys and they are so fascinating to watch. good rule-breakers. I have a face-on photo of a Ruddy that is one of my favourites.
I don’t know of any “rules of composition” you’re breaking here. That head-on pic of the Goldeneye is terrific. It is rich in color, contrast, and – at least for me – a perfect sense of The Goldeneye’s movement through the water. To echo the remarks your other contributors, these shots are proof positive that rules are made to be broken. Thanks Mia.
I love the head on shot.
It is in the eye of the beholder.
Rules are made to be broken (by those who know and understand them).
Great shots.
Break all the image rules you wish, especially if it results in fantastic shots like these. I keep thinking “submarine” when I look at the 2nd shot — so intense and dramatic.
By “breaking the rules” you have two wonderful photos. I especially love the head-on shot of the Common Goldeneye. I didn’t realize that the white cheek patches would be seen so well looking head on at the drake.
Cool