Redpoll portrait

[John Chardine]

I have had my 5D for a month or so and have started to test it out with birds. It is slow and you have to adapt your shooting style but ultimately I like the measured approach that it forces upon one.

Anyway, herewith a female Common Redpoll, Carduelis flammea, the same species that occurs in northern Europe, from my feeder at Sackville, New Brunswick. Now, I have to admit to being somewhat confused about Hoary/Arctic Redpolls (C. hornemanni) versus Commons so I'd be quite happy if someone says this is the former and I got my species ID wrong.

Not much done to image except crop and sharpen. Comments welcome!

Canon EOS 5D, 500mm f4 x 1.4 tcII = 700mm
capture date: Monday, 2 February, 2009 1:46 PM
exposure program: Aperture Priority
ISO speed: 800
shutter speed: 1/1000
aperture: f5.6
exposure bias: +0.0
metering: Pattern
flash: OFF

[Jeff Nadler]

very nice. Quite often, images I see of this species have low plumage detail. This image has wonderful detail. A fine image!

[Steve Maxson]

I agree about the plumage detail, John. I also like the pose, the beautiful soft light, and the great background. My only minor suggestion might be to tone down or remove the larger white spot on the perch to the left of the bird. Very well done.

[Tony Whitehead]

Very nice, John. DOF covers the subject well and BG is great. I wonder whether a little fill flash may have brought a little more detail into the forehead area but is good as is. I would probably burn in the perch a little.

[Doug Hitchcox]

Great shot John, I like the small DOF when a little bird is so large in the frame. As for identification, I would probably call this a Common; a better look at undertail coverts would be helpful. I would recommend checking out this post by David Allen Sibley on his blog, it gives a 'character index' for identifying redpolls: http://sibleyguides.blogspot.com/2008/01/character-index-for-redpoll.html

[Fabs Forns]

Excellent done, John, the soft light on the side of the face brings out the profile really well. Loving it!

[Arthur Morris]

Hey John, You are getting good at this photography stuff... I agree with all of the psoitve comments above and would add that pointing the lens a bit more to the right (moving the bird to our left) and possibly a hair down would have improved the COMP. A bit of Eye Doctor work might also be in order as the eye looks a tiny bit funky.

[Art Kornienko]

Lighting, colours and detail are spectacular, 3D almost, just a hair more on the bottom I think but that's it.

[Ramon M. Casares]

Agree with Arthur here, I would like to say that to tone down the chest a bit could help, in my PC those whites seem a bit hot. Still, outstanding detal, exposre, BG, pose and light. Congratualtions!

[John Chardine]

Many thanks for all the very useful comments. I've reworked the image and incorporated all of them. Differences are subtle but I think the combined effect is positive!

[Arthur Morris]

Excellent on the repost. Now all that you have to do is add a bit of canvas right.

[James Salywoda]

Awesome shot beautiful pose and detail John that bg looks really good as well.

[Jackie Schuknecht]

Lovely John, I like your repost with one part of the perch removed. Don't mind the eye as that is the natural reflection of the light. Love the little red cap and the sharpness too.

[John Chardine]

Excellent on the repost. Now all that you have to do is add a bit of canvas right.

I gave it a tad more Artie in the repost but not enough. I'll try the crop again- I have lots of BG to work with. Thanks!