When I shot this Hermit Thrush I knew I wanted to make it have an Asian look – like a watercolor on textured paper. Corel Painter is the perfect medium to make the possible. There are multiple layers involved.
Created with Photoshop and Corel Painter 10/6/2014. NIKON D7000, f-stop 6.3, exposure time 1/640 sec., ISO 100, focal length 600mm, and max aperture 5.
Sherry Felix - port4u 
Your empty space just a little too big, its a distraction
balance between subject and space so you can see both with one look
Just tighten it a little
I can see it on a Japanese screen
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For me, the Japanese style background and the bird do not go together. They both distract from each other, rather than complement each other. i wonder what it would look like if the bird was more central on the ranch with red blossoms, without all of the empty space of the blue . I prefer the first one, but can see that is not what you were going for.
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I will refrain from editing this one as per your suggestion as it will make it just another bird picture in flowers. I thought of a Japanese screen when I took the photo. The focal point is off to one side with an opposing empty, tranquil area.
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I’m curious why you think the second one is a better composition. I think the bird becomes just part of the texture at that size…though I do see the crispness of everything else better. Somehow if the two could be brought together, bird size and crisp background…though as I look at it again I’m not sure that would work either. Is there something to bring the bird out more in the second one?
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I see it as more balanced with more space on the left and top. That is how it was originally before I cropped it down because someone said I should zoom into the bird (I should have left it the way I envisioned it in the first place). Japanese screens are like this with art on one side and lots of empty tranquil space. The empty space is as important as the object.
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I may add more empty space on top and on the right to emphasisze the look I am after. I want the background blank and like textured paper. I’ll try it and see. Thank you all.
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I liked the buff color of the Hermit Thrush and the autumn colors on the vine but the background seems rather empty.
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Although I can see the Asian effect, this photo leaves me a bit flat.
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