London Crow

[shane shacaluga]

Spent the last few days in London and managed to take a few pictures in the many parks available. Here is one of the many crows I spotted in the gardens around Buckingham Palace

D7000
300f4 + 1.7x TC @ 500mm
f8
1/1000
ISO 640
Manual using Evaluative Metering and handheld

I believe these were the settings but posting from work so need to check when I get home.

usual post processing trying out the refine edge function to separate the fine feather details. Desaturated the blues to get the real black colour on the bird

All comments and critiques welcome

[gail bisson]

You know you are hooked on birds when you travel to a great cosmopolitain city and shoot the birds!!
I like your low angle and the ruffled feathers. Good composition.
I would tone down the orange blob on the left.
Light a bit harsh but does illuminate the feathers well,
Gail

[shane shacaluga]

Thanks for the comments Gail.

I hate cities with a vengeance. Anytime I go to one for work purposes, I try to escape to anywhere I can find some wildlife. We don't get many corvids in southern Spain so it made a refreshing change of species

Got some nice shots in Hyde Park too which i still need to process

[Stu Bowie]

Hi Shane, excellent low angle, together with a good HA from the crow. Well exposed on the dark plumage, and I like the hint of the wind swept feathers. Maybe a little more space below, as the feet are right on the edge. :w3

[Arthur Morris]

You did well with the harsh light from almost directly overhead. It is a bit tight on the bottom for me.

[Daniel Cadieux]

I normally prefer a more profile look at birds, but with the dishevelled and wind-blown look to the plumage it looks good as is.. Well done for the harsh light...I'd only consider darkening the bottom row of grass as it seems a tad bright. I also agree with the tightness of the comp at bottom.

[shane shacaluga]

Thanks for all the comments guys

I dont have any more room in the original file to play with and not sure i could pull off adding canvas at the bottom without it being too obvious

Will post a few more from my trip over the next weeks