Birds, Birds, Birds – Weekly Photo Challenge: Rule of Thirds
“We see the world through rule of thirds, and many shades of grey
The search to get the perfect shot, continues every day.”
(10 Photos)
This week I am reaching deep into the archives for a post I’ve wanted to do for some time about the extraordinary birds of Africa. Our challenge, the “Rule of Thirds” is an easy one for anyone who has studied photography. While, as we all know, rules are made to be broken, this is one that photographers follow in most cases. In the shot above, our little jackass penguin is perched nicely on the right side of the shot as he enjoys a brief nap in the warm sunshine. His position in the shot allows him “room to move” in the direction he faces. He also gives us a nice illustration of “bokeh”, the creamy out-of-focus background described by Jen in her challenge this week. By the way, his name comes from his donkey-like braying, not his personality. 😊
“Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist.”
Pablo Picasso
The hamerkop, this time positioned on the left with room to move to the right, is named for the shape of his head, which resembles (supposedly) a hammer. He illustrates another aspect of photography – as always, it’s all about the light – in this case just after African daybreak. One thing about an African safari – the animals and birds are out and about in the very early morning and late afternoon hours, which demands a very early wake-up call for those who hope to capture the many elusive species in their natural environment. This, of course, took me out of my own natural environment but in the case of a safari, the rewards definitely outweighed the annoyance of the wake-up call.
“Any fool can make a rule. And any fool will mind it.”
Henry David Thoreau
The beautifully colored Lilac Breasted Roller, also shown in this week’s header photo, is the national bird of Botswana and was fairly plentiful as we explored their beautiful countryside. As they pronounced the bird’s name the locals rolled the r’s making it sound as lovely as it looks. In this case, the foliage on the right side of the shot gave me what I felt was enough visual interest to place the subject a bit closer to the center of the shot while still allowing the bird room to move in the direction of his glance.
“The hell with the rules. If it sounds right, then it is.”
Eddie Van Halen
This is a shot I’ve shared before, of another very colorful African species, the Crested Barbet. I’m repeating myself because he offers such a nice example of the rule of thirds as well as the use of a creamy bokeh to set him apart from the background. Don’t you just love the way he is permanently “bibbed” to be sure his meals of insects and and fruits don’t ruin his lovely red and yellow chest?!
“You are remembered for the rules you break.”
Douglas MacArthur
The guineafowl, another shot I’ve included in the past, is an example of how “not-to”. I remember vividly trying to race after this fast-moving fellow while he was surrounded by the beautifully colored flowers at the botanical gardens of Cape Town. I did my best but he was a bit too quick for me (they are known for their excellent running ability!) and I was only able to catch him on the very right side of the shot. Do you see how crowded he feels as he moves out of the photo with no room to maneuver? Still, I thought his incredible blue head surrounded by the colorful blooms made the shot worthy of a place in my favorites file.
“The golden rule is that there are no golden rules.”
George Bernard Shaw
The gorgeous Secretary Bird is a large bird of prey thought to be named for the distinctive black quill-like feathers in the back of his head. Here I’ve purposely broken the rule of thirds, as the stately appearance of the bird seemed to demand a prominent place near the center of the shot. Tell me this one doesn’t look proud of it’s beautiful coloring and plumage.
“Rules are a great way to get ideas. All you have to do is break them.”
Jack Foster
Somewhat less gorgeous, this yellow-billed hornbill is affectionately known as the Banana Bird to the local population. Jimmy Durante has nothing on him (OK, the youngsters among you can just look him up in Wikipedia!). He and others of his species were plentiful, and most often posed high in the trees. This shot of the banana bird on the ground, I thought, gave the best detail of his speckled coat and furry legs – oh yeah, and his big yellow beak 😊.
“Nature provides exceptions to every rule.”
Margaret Fuller
I’ve seen many an ostrich in captivity, but it was really exciting to see this pair in the wild. I loved the way they were looking at each other – knowing that while males will mate with several females, each does have a primary female to serve as his partner. Apparently ostrich females are a bit more lenient than their humans counterparts. They are also the fastest of birds so I was lucky to catch them moving at a fairly leisurely pace.
“Know the rules well, so you can break them effectively.”
Dalai Lama XIV
The stately African Fish Eagle is massive, with a wingspan of up to 8 feet. As his name implies, he feeds primarily on fish, but is also known to poach the eggs of other birds and to eat small mammals or crocodiles as well. In this shot the eagle is in his typical position for hunting prey – high in the trees overlooking a body of water. Both his appearance and his hunting behavior reminded me very much of the bald eagles who nest near our home here on Kiawah. Similarly, for those who survive their first year, both bald and fish eagles can live well into their twenties – quite long for a bird species.
“There are no rules. That is how art is born.”
Helen Frankenthaler
Finally, a bit of homage to the humble Oxpecker, aka the Tickbird. These little creatures were everywhere, offering a valuable, symbiotic service to most all of the animals in the jungle as they feast on the ticks, flies and maggots that would otherwise be an intolerable nuisance. I think we saw them on every species other than the big cats and elephants. I’m not sure which would be worse – being infested by fleas or being pecked constantly by birds. Somehow Dante missed that in his infamous Inferno 😊.
An African safari is, as I’ve said before, a photographer’s dream. As one is surrounded by the incredible animals in their natural environment, one realizes the masterpiece that our world really is. But once you begin to become part of the whole, you realize that there are more wonders to be seen, including the beautifully exotic birds – just a few of which I’ve shared today. To see what others chose to share this week, click here.
All beautiful pictures of really unique birds. Love the header and I do believe your third picture is my favorite. Lovely post!
Thanks Pix – especially for liking the header 😄 – sometimes I wonder if ANYONE sees it LOL!
Lovely collection, Tina. Also wonderful to hear you thinking out loud about your photography composition choices 🙂
Thanks Jane – glad you found it interesting!
Love the ostrich shot Tina, perfect timing.
Thanks Andy! I’ve posted others of them before but something about their look toward each other captivated me on this one.
Each of them are(is?) beautiful 🙂
is/are – either way, thanks for the lovely compliment PJB!
I just love your post, the photos are amazing, so beautiful, and the quotes about rules are every single one great. Thank you, you have a great talent.
Thank you so much Cecilia, what a lovely comment. I popped over to visit your blog but couldn’t find a “like” or comment button 😦 Appreciate your stopping by!
You are a superb photographer Tina, I always look forward to your posts and this one did not disappoint, these bird images with your descriptions and explanations of why you chose to shoot using the rule of thirds was also a lesson in “seeing” and quotes are so appropriate. Thank you for sharing your favourites with us.
You are so sweet Pomme. thanks so much for your comment, which totally made my day!
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Tina, what great shots this week! I especially loved the ostriches and the eagle. How lucky you are to have such memories!
Thank you Grace, very lucky indeed. It’s been several years but I remember it as if it were yesterday. Life changing, honestly.
What a treat to wake up to on an icy morning! And you certainly know your rule of thirds, when to use it and when to ignore it. Great job, Tina!
Thanks Annette 🙂 Sorry about the ice; hope spring comes soon for you up there!
Gorgeous shots – not sure I will ever be able to go there but I can certainly live vicariously through your photos. That’s what’s great about these blogs is seeing so much of the world through the eyes of others
Thanks Nora, I totally agree with you. I’ve seen much of India and Egypt and many other places online that I may never reach. It’s great fun to live vicariously!!
Very cool, I remember seeing some of those in Africa, but never could get a picture.
Thanks Linda – These are the good ones – there were many others that didn’t make the grade. The trick is to keep trying!!
Oh the uniqueness of these exotic birds.. Each one captivating …
Thanks Miss Linda – they are amazing indeed!
Fantastic shots, as usual..the artist and poet in you coming together, depicting Nature’s colour palette. I admire your apt writing too.
Thanks very much Veena, for your visit and lovely comment.
Great Shots, Tina, as usual. That eagle really catches my eyes.. I found the same bird when I was in Kenya..
Thanks very much Nurul. I’m sure he’s fairly common across Africa, as our bald eagle is seen in most of the US. Appreciate your stopping by.
So pretty and colorful! You find all the best spots for shots of wildlife!
Thanks Connie – hard to miss them in Africa LOL!!!
Love those pictures and those quotes. You nailed it.
Thanks very much Ryan
Tina, such beautiful images! And your choice of quotes, wonderfully creative and apropos. Thank you for sharing and for educating!
Thanks very much Stacy – glad you enjoyed.
Lovely post on birds, Tina. My favourite shot has to be the one of the Crested Barbet. Not only as you mentioned permanently bibbed, but it looks like he is bibbed with a crystal bib. And he has a bit of a haughty look about it 😀 Well done on the photos. I find it hard to take photos of birds. They run away when I approach with my point-and-shoot camera 🙂
Thank you Mabel – love your description of the crystal bib 😊 . Birds are indeed difficult to catch. The secret is to hang quietly somewhere and let them be used to you. In the wilds of Africa they have bigger things to worry about than someone shooting their photo LOL. Also, for every good shot there are many throw-aways !!!
Living in the wild, there is no rule as the species of all kinds co-existed. Just exquisite birds, Tina.
Thank you Perpetua. You’re right – in the wild there is peaceful co-existence except for the need to satisfy hunger – then look out and make sure you’re not in the wrong place at the wrong time!!
I was struck by your good fortune to have cast your eyes upon such splendor. Quotes are apt for the challenge, and enjoyed each one.
It is a great gift to be able to do a safari sally, you’re right, I am indeed very fortunate to have been there. Glad you enjoyed the quotes – amazing how many great minds thought alike !!
What a fabulous collection of avian splendor! The fact that the shots demonstrate the rule-of-thirds is almost an incidental.
Well thank you John – the birds were very cooperative subjects – every once in a great while LOL!
Marvelous photos, Tina, but this week I like your somewhat rebellious quotes just as much. (That means the quotes are particularly good, not anything wrong with the photos.) I enjoyed your information about both birds and technique as well.
janet
Thanks Janet – I suppose we’re all rebels in our own way LOL!
I totally agree on the guineafowl…beautiful colors and all wonderful photos. k
Thanks Kath !!
Reblogged this on Roviond and commented:
From Tina To Tina
http://www.birdingart.com/pages/bone/tinabone.html
Very interesting Roviond! Thanks for the link
I love all of them! The “Big Birds” are hilarious:)
😊 Thanks Svetlana – some time ago I posted a shot of them looking like a 2-headed bird. It’s here if you have a minute to check it out! https://travelsandtrifles.wordpress.com/2012/10/21/travel-theme-couples/
Your “couples” are amazing! I love it!!!!!!!
These are fabulous shots! Your quotes are brillantly chosen – and rules are meant to be broken!
Many thanks PE! Glad you enjoyed.
As I thought. Beautifully put together post explaining how you consider the placement of your subject. I love your photos Tina and always look forward to your choice of words. And of course, I love all things about the African wildlife and nature so adored this one.
Jude xx
Thanks Jude, for your lovely comment. I’m with you about African wildlife. I swear I could post on it every week if I weren’t afraid I’d lose every follower within a few weeks LOL!!
Well you wouldn’t lose me!!
Superb photos Tina! 🙂
Thanks Adrian!
Such a variety of birds, all very nicely done.
Regarding rule breaking, I’ve done my share. When taking a picture, I don’t even bother with the rule of thirds. 🙂
Thanks David. As for you, you may not bother with it but if you look back I’ll bet you follow it pretty intuitively 😊
Following it intuitively is a good descriptor of what I do. 🙂
What abundance of gorgeous birds in a single post. Exquisite bird portraits, Tish! Confused, crested, barbet is the cutest one!
Thanks Paula – yes the barbet is my favorite as well (I think😊)
Beautiful images, Tina! I love seeing your posts not only for your fabulous images, but also for your words…always something new to find out! You’ll probably find my Rule of Thirds rather prosaic!
Thank you Sue, for your lovely comment. As for you—prosaid? NEVER!!
Thanks, Tina!!
Oops – typo! Where’s autocorrect when you need it? Of course I meant prosaic
Oh, I guessed that 😄
What a wonderful treat to see these beautiful birds. I love these quotes.
Thank you, Tina!
And thank you back Amy! The birds were a gift as we explored the wilds of Africa. Quite an adventure.
Lovely set of photos, compelling and well composed. Just stumbled onto your site and am most impressed. I always enjoy viewing other photographer’s work!
Thanks so much Karen – glad you found me 😄
Thanks for sharing these wonderful safari photos with us Tina. Of course for me the icing on the cake was the Picasso quote of course as I try to break the rules every day 🙂
LOL – I could have guessed that! I found it very interesting what a wealth of quotes I had to choose from on the subject of breaking rules 😊
These are great! I really like the Picasso quote. I think the rule of thirds is quite intuitive, although i have come across slightly different variations before. However the interpretation of it in the challenge was very different from how i have heard it explained before.
But explanations and rules or not, I enjoyed these birds. Thanks for sharing.
My pleasure Kris, happy you enjoyed. Several people explored the many meanings of the rule. I think it was Jen’s attempt to put it into the simplest terms so that everyone could appreciate what it meant without getting too technical. In any case, thanks for the fly-by 😊
All fantastic! The Lilac-Breasted Roller was particularly magnificent; I admired those beautiful birds multiple times in Africa but never got a gorgeous shot like yours!
Many thanks Lex, and thanks again for the endorsement on your safari post. A life-changing experience for me and I expect for you as well.
Beautiful creatures and I bet many have never seen some of these. Terrific series, Tina.
Thanks Jane – I suppose to the locals they see a lilac-brrrreasted-rollllller much as we would see a robin or a finch but I sure found them, and the others as well, quite beautiful and exotic.
You never stop to amaze us, Tina. You’re a birdwatcher as well as a photographer, author and a passionate traveller! 🙂
Lovely collection of birds and animals and of course I pinched a couple of the quotes for my book of gems.
Great post! Wishing a you a good week ahead,
Dina et al
Greetings Dina et al! Thanks for the lovely comment. I’m afraid calling me a birdwatcher would give me way too much credit. I just took advantage of the opportunities that presented themselves as I was stalking the big beasts LOL. Glad you pinched the quotes, they deserve to be proliferated!!
Love photos and quotes.. 🙂 A pleasure to go through the post, taking time for each shot. As always… 🙂
Thanks very much Paritosh – appreciate your taking time to enjoy them!
Thank you for all the quotes on breaking rules. This challenge kind of got me hot under the collar because I don’t like to be bound by rules, but you’ve risen to the challenge in great style, in my opinion! And your photos are beautiful.
Thanks very much Angeline – I love that some of the greats have given us “permission” to break the rules!!
Such an amazing collection! Capturing birds takes enormous patience doesn’t it?
Thanks HD! Actually I must admit I was only taking advantage of the opportunities that hit me in the head! My real focus was on the magnificent animals, and the birds were an excellent addition. Patience is NOT one of my primary characteristics 😊
interesting bird pictures series.
Thanks Robert.
Tina, this was such a great post. I love all the quotes (rule-breakers, all!!) but also your explanation of why you photographed as you did. Absolutely stunning!
Thanks Lois. I was amazed at all the famous people who espoused rule-breaking! Did my heart good 😊
I see what you mean..oh the jealousy over the Oxpeckers. ..grrr. stunning shots.
Thank you Boeta, LOL on the oxpeckers
It was fun to study the details of each bird’s feathers … patterns etc. Really love your work.
Thanks Cape–so happy we finally managed to figure out the subscription issue!
Stunningly beautiful !
all rules meant to be broken,
and creatively, end up to
amazing results!
Thanks Atureaud-must admit I’ve been a rule follower forever but once in a while I manage to break out!
Oooh! Such beautiful creatures and photos! You are spoiling us, but please keep doing so. 🙂
😄 thanks very much Neihtn! I have every intention of doing my best to spoil you.
What a fantastic post – the photos are wonderful!
Thanks so much JM, appreciate your visit and comment
Variety is the spice of life! Loved seeing the birds through your lens.
Hi Sharon, thx for stopping by. They’re a wonder for sure!
Those are great shots. Such interesting birds.
Thanks Mary, glad you enjoyed!