White-plumed Honeyeater

[PhilCook]

Common bird here, and often found in gardens, this one however from rural Australia and taken from a portable bird hide near a water hole.

Nikon D300 + Tokina 300mm AT-X f2.8.....f7.1, ISO 200, 1/125, no flash, pattern metering....cropped to vertical

[dankearl]

A bit large in the frame, but the weathered perch is really nice. You must have been close, a pretty shallow
DOF for 7.1?

[Melissa Groo]

I'd like to see the bird have more room too, but overall a really lovely portrait, Phil. Sweet background, curving line of the pose, and great detail and IQ. Do wish we could see the tail.

[PhilCook]

Close yes, about 12 feet........do you really think this is too big in the frame ...I'm confused as I see a number of other images as big in the frame as this one ?

[Rachel Hollander]

Phil - nice details and bg. I don't think it is too big in the frame but would like just a tad more room below.

TFS,
Rachel

[dankearl]

Phil, I think that if the DOF is such that everything or most everything is sharp, then large images in the frame works.
If the Dof is such that only the head is in focus like this image, then I think a Larger view works better.
Just my opinion, maybe not shared by all.

[christopher galeski]

nice image Phil,like the pose perch and BG.thanks.

[laurie golden]

I'm going to agree with the minority - it is not to big in the frame. Love the detail in the bird and the perch and a very nice "common" bird.

[Daniel Cadieux]

Beautiful bird, sweet pose, love the white "swoosh" on the neck. Good BG. I would prefer more room, particularly right and bottom. I know it worked out well here, but don't be afraid to raise the ISO for better SS, these twitchy little birds will sometimes ruin an otherwise fine image by creating subject movement blur at those slow speeds:S3:

[Melissa Groo]

Phil, in answer to your question about space around bird, for me it's mostly because I like to leave room for the "virtual" feet or tail, in this case tail. And then a little bit of room beyond that. Otherwise to me the bird looks slightly cramped. That's obviously hugely personal. Hope that makes sense.

[Robert Holguin]

Wonderful shot. Great pose, lovely background, excellent details, and nice light.
Well done.

[Frank Schauf]

Beautiful portrait, great details and eye contact.