red bellied pecker

[Jamie Strickland]

taken with Canon 1D MKII, sigma 500mm F4.5 + 1.4x TC, F5.6, ISO 1600,1/60s

taken from my back yard as it was pecking out a house wren nest, which of course they were less than impressed with, in the end a robin ended up scaring it away

http://www.tekkiesphoto.com/photos/545395853_8YabD-XL.jpg

[Fabs Forns]

Very nice catch, well exposed. I'd crop some of the tree, to keep the 2:1 ratio for composition. The head could use some more sharpening.

Keep them coming!

[Randy Stout]

Jamie:

A nice looking fellow. I am surprised that a robin could scare this guy!

Agree with Fabs about the sharpening of the head. I also am mildly bothered by the two bright leaves in the LRC, might consider toning them down.

I like that you can see the hole here, often the woodpecker pictures are such perfect profiles, that you can't see the hole well. The head angle is slightly away from us, but I will trade that for the better view of the hole.

Thanks for posting.

Randy

[Ilija Dukovski]

Nice shot, I find woodpeckers surprisingly difficult to get,
you did quite well here. Agree on the head sharpness...

[Jamie Strickland]

thanks everyone

I am trying to do some of the suggestions but my photoshop skills suck :)

[Jamie Strickland]

ok I think I may have figured out some of this finally

http://www.tekkiesphoto.com/photos/546038173_AXAkG-XL.jpg

[Dick Glover]

Jamie,
I agree, is not easy to get good angles on woodpeckers but you did it here. The added sharpening may have gone a little too far, but removal of the bright spots does make a positive difference. I like your original composition. Thanks for sharing, and encouraging me to keep working on these birds.
Dick