Common Grackle portrait

[Dennis Zaebst]

Taken in my back yard in March. I was just out on my back deck seeing what I could find with my camera and lens. I used a tripod with a gimbal head. I waited for quite a while until this fellow alighted on just the right branch. I used a Canon 580 EX II with a flash extender. PP in LR 4.2, cropped to a vertical from a horizontal shot, about 50% of FF. I wish the HA was a little better, but this was the best overall of the series. Very moderate NR, moderate sharpening, and moderate masking slider (38).

Canon 7D, ISO 200, 500 mm f/4L IS +1.4x TC, f/5.6 @ 1/250 sec. Flash fired at -1/3 EV FEC. I left the lens wide open to provide a soft OOF BG, as the tree branches behind were fairly close to the bird.

BTW, could someone on this site correct the problem with uploading files that are 1024x683 (within the stated size limits in the guidelines) but are verticals, with the 1024 dimension on the vertical (i.e. the photo is 683x1024 and under 250K)? The uploader complains that the file is too large, when it actually isn't.

C/C are welcomed as always.


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[Corey Hayes]

Nice detail in the black, I would remove the leaf or what ever that brown spot is at the top left and near the birds head.

other then that nice work.

[John Cooper]

Your lighting has brought out the iridescent colours Dennis. A few marks on upper frame ?PP anomaly.

Re image size Dennis - the way I understand it is you need to make the vertical a maximum of 800 pixels. If you exceed this you will get the message that the image is outside the recommended spec. even though the file size is under 250KB.

[Daniel Cadieux]

These guys are loud, and they have a nasty reputation at bird feeders...but man are they ever handsome birds! I agree with you about the HA, but good job on the blacks. Comp a bit tight IMO, but good call going vertical.

John is correct, a vertical image should be no higher than 800 pixels, hence the message you were getting.

[Dennis Zaebst]

Dan, and others: I understand what you are saying about the vertical dimension limits...what I am saying is if you allow 1024x800 with a landscape image, why not allow the exact same dimensions with a portrait image? There would be no downside as far as I can tell, as the amount of data uploaded would be identical. Who should I contact about this issue? Is there someone who maintains the website itself who could address this directly? Thanks!