Come A Little Bit Closer....

[Anita Rakestraw]

Found another dickcissel and is sharper but still maybe not sharp enough (referring to an image I posted recently in OOTB). Also sorry that he just would not show his breast....but I like the wasp (?) in the image. All comments/suggestions welcome!

7-14-08, 8 p.m.
1DMkIII, 500mm @ 1000, from car on BLUBB
ISO 400, f/8.0, 1/640, EV +.3 and selective lightening
Cropped & USM, NR, cloned out excess branches

[Steve Canuel]

Hi Anita,
Image could be a little sharper and of course have the bird facing you but this one is kinda neat to me I like the bird's focus on the wasp and how they both have their own little stick perch.
Steve

[Arthur Morris]

Interesting behavior. My suggestion (not a new one): work hard to point your shadow at the subject.

[Axel Hildebrandt]

The wasp makes it interesting since it looks as if the bird looks at it. Adding to Steve's comments, the light angle is not ideal, could you have moved to your right?

[Judy Lynn Malloch]

Agree with all of the above. I really find this to be a very unique composition Anita and it was neat to be able to get them both in the same frame. Many thanks for sharing.

[George DeCamp]

A gallant effort here Anita! A little sharper would have for sure kicked this up a notch. What Artie said about your shadow! ;)

[Doug Brown]

Steady improvement Anita! Glad to see you 'graduating' into Wild and Free. Good points from the pros.

[Anita Rakestraw]

Thanks, all, for your gentle critiques! I appreciate it. Doug, I don't think I've 'graduated' at all yet, guess I just wanted to dip a toe in the 'sweet waters' to see how it felt, ha! If I'm going to do that occasionally, I should at least pick images that I think have everything right, and I knew this didn't. So again, thanks to all!