LJ and NJ

Thank you,  Mimi and Tandy, for your comments.  It occurred to me that maybe i should clarify what i have been thinking about with all those birds in various places on the rocks.  You are correct that in the original reference photo, the rocks are very dark and the only birds i saw when i first saw the photo were the ones in silhouette on top.  what happened was that when i took the photo into class when i was preparing the canvas to begin the painting, my teacher and another colleague said they didn’t like the big dark rock — thought it hit the viewer kind of in the face.  So i decided to lighten up the rock.I figured that would give me an opportunity to practice painting rocks. (Also changed some other features from the original).  Anyhow, when i lightened up the photo i saw there were birds there i’d Never even noticed in the first place.  Now, after all this, i might revert back to the original, having learned plenty in getting to this place. Attaching here the lighter photo — it’s not the whole picture, but i think you can see what i’m Talking about.