Male Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker

[Gary Dumer]

Taken about 15 Minutes before Sunset with low light
http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s212/hTr_02/YBSS-a.jpg

40D with 300/4 +1.4TC Handheld
ISO 400
F 5.6
SS 1/640
Exp + 1/3

Levels, Curves and USM after resizing

[Mike Milicia]

Gorgeous !
Great light, perfect exposure, excellent detail and wonderful bg !

Only thing I might suggest is trying to tone down the specular highlights on the tree a bit if possible.

[Dave Hardcastle]

Really beautiful bird, very sharp, great background. Like the composition, agree with the comment about toning down the highlights on the tree.

(PS According to my web browser, the image is 650KB...)

[Daniel Cadieux]

Hi Gary, excellent sharpness and exposure. BG looks great. A better head angle and a slight crop at right would have put this over the top!! I also love the wet appearance of the tree trunk (seeping sap?).

Please keep posts to 200kb max (P.S. thanks Dave).

[Glenda Simmons]

Excellant detail and colors on this woodpecker.

[Arthur Morris]

Wow, this is smashing: sharp, and the perfect BKGR for this species. Wonderful colors throughout. Daniel nailed the problem: the head angle is a tad less than ideal. Darned sharp for 672mm handhled!