Diedericks Cuckoo

[Tobie Schalkwyk]

One of a series of cuckoo shots from our local botanical gardens. The light was quite a challenge with the sun on the far side of the bird.


D600 + Tamron 150-600 @ 600mm
f/6.3 | 1/800s | 400 ISO | Handheld
LR used to reign in highlights & raise shadows. Crossing twigs removed in top left & bottom right corners.

[annmpacheco]

Hi Tobie, what a wonderful looking bird and has the eye of our male wood duck! Granted the light wasn't in your favor, but you did well and had a terrific pose and HA. I like the BG except the tiny branches that intersect the bill, and base of the neck. You have some blown whites. I would clean up the white spot above the birds head as well as maybe some artifact on the top middle... TFS

[arash_hazeghi]

very cool bird, light not ideal and the bird is quite soft and noisy, not sure if you had to pull up the shadows in post?

[Arthur Morris]

Great bird with a wonderful look back head angle but lots of problems mentioned above, most notably the filtered light. Bad luck on the branch coming out of the bird's bill.

with love, artie

[John Mack]

Neat looking bird. Love that red eye. The vertical composition is nice.

[Tobie Schalkwyk]

very cool bird, light not ideal and the bird is quite soft and noisy, not sure if you had to pull up the shadows in post?

Yes Arash, as mentioned in my OP. I had to raise the shadows by quite a margin.

[Tobie Schalkwyk]

Hi Tobie, what a wonderful looking bird and has the eye of our male wood duck! Granted the light wasn't in your favor, but you did well and had a terrific pose and HA. I like the BG except the tiny branches that intersect the bill, and base of the neck. You have some blown whites. I would clean up the white spot above the birds head as well as maybe some artifact on the top middle... TFS

Thanks for your comments Ann! I've spent a bit of time on the issues you've pointed out.

178685

[Daniel Cadieux]

The repost is better, but you were at the mercy of the lighting conditions you encountered here. Cool observation by Ann about the eye - so true!