Male Spruce Grouse.

[Daniel Cadieux]

It had been a while since I last photographed a male of this species, so I was happy to see one hanging out by the side of a road in Algonquin Park recently.

Canon 7DII + 500mm f/4 II, manual exposure, evaluative metering, 1/100s., f/5.6, ISO 3200, flash @ -0.3 FEC, handheld, about 80% FF, darkened pupil, removed a long and bright grass blade along the left edge. I toyed with the idea of removing the stuff in LLC, but opted to leave it.

[Glenn Pure]

Wonderful looking bird, Daniel. I love the scalloped feathers on the breast. The rendering of the black feathers is great. Only little nit is the lack of detail in the white patch below the eye. Also puzzled that you darkened the pupil? Detail is superb and the background excellent.

[Daniel Cadieux]

Thanks man! I darken the pupil on just about every bird image I process - this one needed it a bit more due to the flash.

[Frank sheets]

Hi Daniel. I am relatively new here and not much of a post expert, but I also wonder about the need to darken the pupil. I think the eye overall is a little too dark. I tired a curves adjustment with mask to lighten the eye but did not get the contrast I was anticipating between the purple and iris. But, there is an interesting reflection in the eye that otherwise is not really apparent. That reflection may add something to the image, or not. Otherwise, cool bird and great capture.

[gail bisson]

I love the blacks and how clean the clean file is considering you are using the 7dII and an ISO of 3200.
Good use of flash.
I am OK with the grasses in LLC but would remove the one intersecting with the lower chest.
Very nice,
Gail

[William Dickson]

Great looking image for ISO 3,200 on the 7D Mk2, especially on a black coloured bird. I would never have attempted this ISO when I had my Mk2. I love the colours on the bird, with good detail as well. I would be tempted to remove the grasses. Nice pose and HA. Did you apply any NR to the bird. Just wondering if flash helps with noise, as I have never used flash with Bird Photography.

Will

[Tim Foltz]

Daniel, nice shot, great exposure and details, nice BG and the little bit of grass is fine by me.

-Tim

[Daniel Cadieux]

Thanks guys! As for noise, I forgot to indicate that NR was applied, but to the BG only...none on the grouse.

[Stu Bowie]

Hi Dan, great use of flash, it is subtle, and in turn has brought out the dark plumage detail very well. Nicely separated from the upper BG, and Im fine with the grasses in the LLC.