Lazuli Bunting

[Aidan Briggs]

Good to be back! I have spent far too little time on my photography this past year; I'm going to make more time for it this coming year.

Taken at a local area where open fields meet the edge of an oak forest, a great habitat for buntings and grosbeaks. The last time I visited was later in the season when most of the weeds and grasses had dried out and turned brown. There were several male Lazuli Buntings all flying around to different perches and singing atop them. It was a great time chasing them around.

Not a set up. Handheld. I lightened up the green band at the top to be a little less noticeable.

Canon 50D, 500 f/4
1/1000 sec, f/5.6, ISO 400

[Loi Nguyen]

Hi Aidan, lovely bird with great colors and in hood light. I find the bottom branch too dominant. If this is a FF, I'd suggest cropping tighter. There is also a little spot above the bird that is slightly distracting, I'd try to blend it in with the BG more. Loi

[Mike Milicia]

Nice one, Aidan ... would be happy just to see one of these some day!

Perfect singing pose, great perch and BG and excellent detail!

[Satish Ranadive]

Superb image of beautiful Bunting with beautiful colors. Rest has been mentioned by Loi.

WISH YOU AND YOUR FAMILY, A VERY HAPPY, PEACEFUL AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR 2014.

Regards,
Satish.

[Marina Scarr]

What a lovely image, Aidan. The light, perch and BG are all terrific, but that calling pose with the one leg high really make this one special. It's quite artistic.

It's nice to have you back. Happy New Year!

[Holger Leyrer]

Dynamic calling pose. Wonderful colours, Details and a nice BG

[Daniel Cadieux]

That sounds like a perfect New Year's resolution Aidan!

Love the singing pose, awesome perch (including the lower branch which offers good compositional balance IMO). I'm also digging the old spider web up there. You could eliminate the subtle dark spot just above that lower branch.

[Jim Crosswell]

I like the singing pose, perch, spider web, BG and composition. Excellent image Aidan!

[Aidan Briggs]

Thanks for the great comments all! I hadn't noticed the spot in the bg. Dan, I agree with you 100%, personally I love the perch and it would feel lob-sided if it was missing the lower branch.