Great photo, solid black items are so hard to capture without loosing detail. Great focus..IMO you may try to lighten the blacks just a bit to show a bit more detail.
I was thinking some more about this photo, and I believe I now know what it is about this pic that makes it uninspiring for me. You see, when I go into the city, there's dozens and dozens of pigeons, walking around on the ground just like this magpie here, waiting to be fed. The colour of the feathers and the anatomy are different, but the scene is a very familiar one - looking down at a bird with food on its mind.
With regard to that latest dogshot of mine, you precisely expressed my concerns about the photo. For me, the shot does indeed have sentimental value. But what about other viewers, who do not have an emotional attachment to the subject? Technical quality and a cute doggie aren't enough to make a photo... Thanks for bringing up the issue.
Do you barrack for Collingwood, by any chance? :-)))
The photo is sharp and the composition is OK, but IMO the pic sort of lacks punch. This could be partly due to the flat light and faded colours, but I'm afraid that the major part of the problem is the subject itself. It's a magpie - so what? No surroundings to speak of, no interesting activity on the part of the bird. It's the same problem I keep having with dog shots. Probably a lower angle of view would make it more interesting.