Chipping Sparrow

[Randy Stout]

Daniel posted his chipping sparrow image yesterday, so I thought I would do my version.

In my 'backyard studio'. The light was fading fast, but I think what was left was pretty nice. I appreciate that the head angle isn't ideal for this lookback pose.

D300 500mm f/4 at f/5.6 1/125s -1.3 EV with SB800, beamer -1.3 Gitzo Wim V2

comments appreciated of course!

[Jackie Schuknecht]

Lovely Randy. Nice and sharp with a beautiful BG and placed just right in the frame. Would you add a catchlight in the eye??

[Randy Stout]

Jackie:

Thanks for your input. Just for you, one catchlight!

Randy

[Jackie Schuknecht]

Makes a perfect shot even more perfect:)

[Juan Carlos Vindas]

Hi Randy!

I think this is a great image but needs more boost. Don't get me wrong, I'm just saying that you can still polish it a little more.

Here is my version, I also add a catch light, which I normally never do with my own pictures but...
I also increased the sat a few points, run some NR on BG and finally sharpened a bit more. Too much? may be but what do you think about the final product?

Before I forget: Beautiful bird, pech and BG, lovely colors as well, thanks for sharing this new species for me.

[Scott Frye]

Pretty bird with a good background and I like the fuzz on the perch. Catchlight is a must and I like Randy's catclight as it looks more natural

[Chris Kotze]

Super pose detail and the catchlight made a huge difference. Great shot

[Steve Canuel]

That perch is getting a workout! Glad you posted this as I have an image of one of these and wasn't sure what it was. I like the pose and BG you got and the way the perch cuts across the frame. I like Juan's little tweak. Catchlight adds to the image.

[Stu Bowie]

Randy, good detail on both the sparrow and perch. Lovely pose, and the catchlight does make a difference.

[Randy Stout]

Thanks everyone for the comments.

Juan, I appreciate the work on the repost. I think I still prefer the colors of the original post. I actually backed down on the sharpness of mine a bit, but yours is really sharp. With my slightly darker background, the bird started to look a bit fake with too much sharpening, but with your lighter background, the extra sharpening doesn't make the bird look fake.

Steve: These bushes, sumac, grow wild in my backyard, and this one is wild and alive. Some of the horizontal shots were with a cut off perch. I know it gets repetitive, but I think the fuzzy perches add some subtle interest, and are the right scale for most of my birds.

Cheers

Randy

[Joe Senzatimore]

The last fix brought it all together. A super image.

[Doug Brown]

Nice photo Randy, save for the eye in the original post. I like the repost by Juan, and also the discussion between forum members; good stuff!

[Ramon M. Casares]

Hi Randy. nice imagre, great perch, BG, light, pose, detail and colors, this would be my ctachlight suggestion and also I have cropped a bit from bottom and left. Hope you don't mind.

[Randy Stout]

Ramon:

Nice job on the catchlight. I think I like the slightly looser crop of the original, but yours is nice as well.

I appreciate your time and efforts on the repost.

I don't know if one little sparrow has ever gotten so much attention!

Cheers

Randy

[Ramon M. Casares]

I don't know if one little sparrow has ever gotten so much attention!


You might be right Randy:D, but I would take this as a good thing ;)

[Steve Maxson]

Lots of comments on this very nice image already so I won't reiterate except for the catchlight. I agree that a catchlight adds that final touch to the image, but the first two versions don't look realistic to me. IMO, Ramon's version is the closest to a realistic catchlight that one would expect to see in this overcast light. :)

[Randy Stout]

Steve:

I do agree. I normally don't add catchlights. My response to Jackie's comment was rather tounge in cheek.

So, I will go back and redo it.

Thanks Steve

[Juan Carlos Vindas]

More counterfeit!

My last repost. This must be the most fake catch light ever made!:D

[Steve Canuel]

Randy,
I hope my comment about the perch didn't come across as a negative remark. On the contrary, I like it a lot whether its the same one or not, or regardless if it looks the same. I agree it adds interest and is a good size for the subject.

[Jasper Doest]

Hi Randy!Nice bird, slightly too big in frame for my taste. The composition is nice but since this is taken in a backyard studio you might want to have smaller perch for this one. And regarding the catchlight, yes this photograph needs one, but the PS creations here don't look that good. So you might want to give the backyard another try :-)

[Randy Stout]

Thanks Jasper.

This is actually a live bush that he happened to land on, not a perch I set up. I thought the scale was acceptable, but I do appreciate your point.

I haven't seen anyone quite replicate the silvery reflection you get with a true catchlight from the sky/horizon.

I will have to work on that one!

Thanks for your input.

Randy