New participant trying to learn how this works - Photo of a Black-backed Puffback taken at the Kruger National Park, South Africa

[BarryScott]

http://i1329.photobucket.com/albums/w560/barryscott59/Black-backedPuffbackSatara-5_zpsb6d655ae.jpg (http://s1329.photobucket.com/user/barryscott59/media/Black-backedPuffbackSatara-5_zpsb6d655ae.jpg.html)

[Wendy Kates]

This is a really good capture. The feather detail is good, the exposure seems appropriate and the eye is clear and striking. Ideally, the background should be less distracting, if possible. Also, it is helpful to provide the camera, lens and settings with which you captured the image, as well as any post-processing that you did. Nice job, and welcome to BPN!

[BarryScott]

Thanks Wendy.
The details of the shot are Canon 7D, Canon 500mm F4.0 lens, ISO 1000, F/9, exposure 1/800.
These birds are really canopy dwellers, so every photo I have ever taken of them has a clutter of foliage around. I would love to get one out in the open some time.

[Wendy Kates]

Could you have dropped your f/stop all the way to f/4, or was there not enough light? That would have helped blur the background to some extent.

[BarryScott]

Thanks again for the good advice. Most of my bird photography is done on foot, in the African bush. Most photographs are grabbed on the fly, because these guys are hard to get. I therefore leave the setting on f/11 to f/16, to ensure a decent depth of field, which is a good compromise for most shots. When the subject plays along, and gives a bit of time, I do try different settings. I always worry that if I leave the setting on for example f/4, I would lose too much feather clarity on some of the photos. I guess is always going to be a compromise!

[manishgadia]

Hi Barry, Usually for Canopy Birds i keep Evaluative metering to Expose the bird correctly. Here in you Image the Exposure is PERFECT!
However to my mind, f4 or say f5.6 would have been better as it would have made the BG slightly less cluttered (covering bird fully) & may be a minus 1/3 on EC to prevent over expo. In my 100-400, f5.6 works well to cover birds fully for sharpness.

[Michael Todd]

Excellent shot Barry! Exposure and colors are spot on. The background is somewhat cluttered, but it is what it is. I agree with you though about the F/ stop setting. Even at your F9, the tail feathers are stating to blur out. At F4, I wouldn't be surprised if the birds feet would be somewhat blurry.

[John Chardine]

Hi Barry- Big welcome to BPN and ETL. Great species and excellent to get the feeding! I'll focus on the lighting. Here you have light filtered through the vegetation which is causing a spotlight effect on the head with the rest in the dark. This kind of lighting doesn't work very well. If it's hard to get them out in the open, as least you can reduce the filtered light effect by going out in overcast conditions when the light is more even. Very subtle use of fill flash may also work.