It is said that the only healer of grief is time - and in the spring all will be renewed. The male pink salmon has reached the end of his life cycle, as have the leaves. Nothing is wasted as the nutrients are returned to the river.
This sure was an amazing find! It's almost as if the fish were pleading!
Dead fish don't get awards eh? Unless you're Damien Hurst, who sold his dead great white shark 'art' for nearly 30 MILLION dollars. It's alright for some, eh?
Still, I think this one is a great conversation piece and I bet if it were on a wall, almost everyone would comment, sadly, as you say, probably negatively. Dead or alive, it's all still Nature, which is brutal at the best of times.
As for lenses, well, it's not the focal length, but the quality of glass they use. I find the ED to be the best quality and it is all STILL hand-polished. Amazing, and hence the price. I got mine at a snip; a mere $2400.
However, whatever works best for you. Keep snapping!
Don't worry for me, Graham - I already mortgaged my house, my future, everything! This is the best wide Nikon has to offer 14-24 f/2.8. (I suppose we could argue!) The aberration, I could/should have corrected. It is really very minor but accentuated by my post processing which pops the colours. The fish is in situ (not set up in any way.) Because It was difficult to maneuver a tripod in place, I opted for hand held and a higher ISO. The lens was almost touching the fish head! Scary!
Oh yes - dead fish don't get awards! I have shown a print of this and found that the general reaction was negative because of the subject matter.
The complexity of color, contrast and subject matter makes this a shot even seasoned professionals would struggle with. However, you have mastered this!
Subject apart, this is a striking image that deserves recognition. Was it 'plein aire' or set up?
Come on usefilm, where's your artistic eye gone? Give this work the praise it deserves. Work like this is seldom seen.
Hint: that lens has some chromatic aberration. (top left) Bear this in mind for future shots.
Solution? Zoom back 5-6% then crop out the aberration. ALL wide angle lenses have this - more noticeable on some lenses but stick with Nikkor; they ARE the best.
You may want to consider getting one like I have (still the numero uno Nikkor lens).