Butcher's Back

[Glennie Passier]

My old friends the Butchers are ever present. The older birds are a bit more timid than their babies. This one was deciding whether he should fly or stay. In the frame before he is giving me one of those "if looks could kill" stares.

Taken latish in the morning between long shadows. Histogram tells me I am way to the left.

In ACR Highlights right to the left and shadows to the right
In PSCS6 - BG highlights tamed and shadows lightened and prop stuff cloned out. (no matter long I make the perch, they will always sit on the bit that I don't want them to sit on) A little dodge and burn. Crop was skewed to give a more upright angle. Canvas added to the left and right where frame was angled. The bird did not seem to be on a lean.

Canon 5D2
Sigma 150-600mm @ 260mm
f7.1
1/1000
ISO 1600
Spot metering
Tripod

C&C ALways welcomed and appreciated!

[Adhika Lie]

Very nice pose, Glennie! I suppose we both dealt with underexposure. I think you did a good job with the DOF here. The way the branch cuts the frame is very pleasing. For me, the branch is a little bit too crisp and I would probably soften it just a little bit so it doesn't compete with the very nice texture of the feather.

[Glennie Passier]

Yes. I think you are right again. The branch looks a little crisp...some spots also look a bit bright now.

[Adhika Lie]

Oh, I wanna add that I love how the brighter BG at the top half kinda flows into the bird. Just maybe slightly less on the extreme UR corner.

[Diane Miller]

Super rushed for a comment -- you're competing with the cutest baby ever!! But I love this. It is dark but looks like it recovered well. I'd probably try bringing up exposure just a bit more if shadow noise permits, on the bird itself.

I have the same problem with perches!

[Warren Spreng]

Excellent Glennie, love the pose, the background and the perch!