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This green stuff can make you really sick. Doesn't apear to worry the birds.

I like the second, how about a crop from the top and right to bring the bird into the intersection of the thirds? this would (for me) isolate the bird more and also bring that leaf on the bottom left more into play as one of the primary subject items. This would also remove the distracting the brownish ripples up top too which I found did little for me but draw my eye from the bird and that beautiful green goodness...

I like the idea of the fill flash and it has certainly given the swan more detail on its head and shadowed area, a bit of contrast applied to the blacks would be nice too and possibly remove the tell tale signs of the fill flash but leave the texture of the feathers..

I find the light flare in the first too distracting. I feel
you can comfortably get rid of some of the space on
both left and right of the bird. I would try in this case to
follow the rule of thirds because the most powerful
element in this picture is the read beak.

hey Matt, here is my take, i really wanted to see what it would look like cropped, let me know if you want it removed.

I love the colours here, and I especially like the use of the sun in the first image, even though it's slightly affected the exposure and colour saturation.

Where were these taken...the water looks truely foul!

I like 'em both as they are but... I'd be checking that Fuji Matt... between the orbs and that nasty green colour cast you may have got a dud !!!

Cameron...the water is most foul. These were taken at Canberras Lake Burley Griffen. And we all know what goes into the water there!!!

Gerry....no problems with you posting your own take. In some ways it is better...I find as I progress in my adventuers in photography I am now moving back and allowing the subject more space. Once upon a time my modus operandi was to get as close as possible. Tastes change over time.

Matt. K wrote:Cameron...the water is most foul. These were taken at Canberras Lake Burley Griffen. And we all know what goes into the water there!!!

That does explain a lot....I was wondering if these were taken in Auburn at the Japanese Gardens.....but that green was throwing me off

Matt. K wrote:Gerry....no problems with you posting your own take. In some ways it is better...I find as I progress in my adventuers in photography I am now moving back and allowing the subject more space. Once upon a time my modus operandi was to get as close as possible. Tastes change over time.

thats cool, nothign wrong with changing tastes, as long as it remains interesting for one's self.