Cedar Waxwing

[Isaac Grant]

I have been concentrating on shooting new species and ignoring my instincts to go to the same old spots and shooting the same old species which I find I do every year. Thankfully I have been successful in capturing shots of quite a few birds that I did not have proper shots of before and will concentrate my efforts on getting only new species for a while. This Cedar Waxwing is one of the birds that I did not have any photos of before. From Clove Lakes Park in Staten Island, New York.

Canon 1dx mark ii and 600 f4 ii (new toy :S3:) + 1.4x iii, ISO 2500, F5.6, SS 1/1000. Small amount of fill flash used. I never remember exactly what I used it at but was about -2.

[John Mack]

Pretty frame of this handsome bird. Looks quite good to me. Nice pose, Nice background, Diffused light with the soft flash brings out some nice details.

[Bill Dix]

A fine shot of this guy. Congratulations on getting a new species. I've found these to be difficult; their feathers are so silky smooth that it's often tough to get any detail. You had good light, and the flash probably helped as well, so the fine plumage shows nicely. And you also got his signature waxy bangles.

[Ákos Lumnitzer]

Lovely frame. I like it. Lots of details.
I like the spider web on the perch too.

[Jack Backs]

Agree with what the others have said, nice background and good isolation.

[Jonathan Ashton]

A fine image Isaac, I am not sure if there is a some colour fringing on the crest?? Could just be a DOF thing. There is a green cast from the foliage - perfectly natural on the chest, I like the plumage details, I wonder if the flash has given some hitherto missing details in the black plumage above the bill?
(Flash details - you can see your settings in DPP Info panel.Did you use HSS flash, and Diffraction correction and Chromatic aberration correction?)

[Paul Burdett]

Very nice image of a very colourful bird. I like the background (can't see a green cast myself) and the detail on the bird. Looks like you're going to have fun with the "new toy". How are you finding the weight of the 600 lens?

[gail bisson]

Hope you are having fun with the new 600!!
The hardest thing about a cedar waxwing is to get detail out of their silky smooth feathers and I think you have done this perfectly.
Good comp, HA and use of flash.
The little spiderweb adds a nice element,
Gail

[Isaac Grant]

Jonathan these birds are notorious for their super fine feathers. I think the feathers at the end of the crest are they way they are supposed to be as the really fine tips of the feathers are showing the greenish background color. The edge of the chest and belly has that yellowish rim around it that was as it was in the RAW. Must be a function of the light and again the fine feathers showing color from behind. The feathers above the eye are almost impossible to get detail on except for maybe at minimum focus distance and a perfect sun angle. It is a spot that is kind of like the rump of our harriers, and rarely if ever shows detail. I don't see a green cast to the chest on my monitor but I am sure you do.

I didn't use any of the items you mention above in DPP. Never have. I used ETTL and when I look in DPP at the options I am missing where it shows the flash details. Where do you see them?

[Isaac Grant]

Although it is only 2 pounds heavier than my 500 I do find that you notice the weight a little. Hasn't really bothered me too much yet as I took it on a couple of mile hike and wasn't too bothered. But my shoulder was bothered funny enough, not by the weight but by the added pressure of the tripod on it. It left me feeling a touch bruised or something. That is an easy fix as I will put a little padding or something on my tripod so it doesn't feel like it is digging into the shoulder.

I did try it hand held for a couple of flight shots of passing shorebirds. Shots came sharp but the light was unfortunately terrible so they are not keepers.

[John Whaley]

A wonderful image of the always difficult Cedar Waxwing. I find that they are difficult to capture in three ways. The fine feathers are difficult to get detail from, they are usually in the leaves and not perched in the open and it is hard to get both the red waxwing feathers and yellow tail tip in the same pose . You captured the fine feather detail with a clean background and the red wax wing and yellow tail tip feathers perfectly so well done.

[Jonathan Ashton]

Isaac the points I raised were minor but I agree with what you have said. I didn't find the flash details but I am looking at the jpeg, they should be there in the raw file Exif Information about half way down the list: Flash Flash Type and Flash Exposure compensation.
(Generally regarded as good practice to use lens correction (Not DLO) they can most readily employed in camera settings as opposed to having to do it DPP.)
They are there of course in LR and ACR, here you would have to select them but you can make them a preference ie part of your raw conversion recipe as standard.

[Isaac Grant]

The only one I use in DLO is peripheral illumination. I leave that set to on in camera and never change. Yeah it's funny Jonathan, I thought the flash details would show up but don't know how or where to find them. Anyone know? What situations do you use the others in DLO?

[Jake Levin]

Terrific shot as always, Isaac! I think your new toy served you well. The spider web on the branch adds that extra touch to an already excellent image. Out of curiosity, did you call him in, or did you find a favourite perch he was using and wait?

[Isaac Grant]

Jake I had my knee high water proof boots on and was standing in a stream. There is an area with a low hanging tree that has some nice and open branches that I was hoping to get some warblers on but they didn't cooperate. There is a large area of dead trees and debris as this is below a **** and they all wash up there. I stayed there for a few hours waiting for birds to show. There was a large flock of waxwings most of the time I was there there were feeding high up in the trees. This was one of only 2 of them that came down low. It landed there for no more than a couple of seconds. I got one small burst of 8 shots off and it flew. Another one landed much closer to me, so close that it was well within minimum focus distance. We just looked at each other for a while and then it flew off. No audio used, just patience and some luck. It would have been nice if it chose to land on the beautiful tree with budding leaves but alas there is always next time...

[William Dickson]

The BG colours really show this bird at its best. Lovely pose, detail and look back HA. Nice crop.

Will

[Geoffrey Montagu]

One beautiful capture of one of the finest smooth feathered birds, Isaac. Just the right amount of flash helped with an already attractive natural light. Congratulation on the lifer.

Geoffrey




http://500px.com/geoffreymontagu (http://500px.com/geoffreymontagu)

[David Salem]

One of the best shots I have ever seen of this species!!
The details, especially in the larger file, is fantastic on this fine feathered beauty. I have never shot them but would be stoked to get one as nice as this. And it is "El Natural" Well done Isaac.