Red-headed Woodpecker

[Lana Hays]

I'm finally out of school for the summer. A trip to Michigan didn't yield a great deal due to the weather so I thought I'd spend the day working on some images from last summer. Last year I had 8 Red-headed Woodpeckers in my backyard before they migrated so I'm hoping for another nice bunch again this year.

Canon 1DMkIIN, 500mmL IS, beanbag out my office window
ISO 400, f/8, ss 1/800
Raw conversion with DPP, slight crop, USM

[Axel Hildebrandt]

Beautiful specimen, good exposure control, details and BG, too. It looks as if the critical focus is not on the head. I have only seen one immature bird and would love to see an adult someday. Maybe a tad more room at the bottom?

Enjoy the summer!

[Kobus Tollig]

Ditto Focus but still nice one well done

[Gayle Clement]

That's a great yardbird. Very nicely photographed with great detail of the feathers on his back.

[Stu Bowie]

Lana, excellent exposure, and I like the colours on him. Super pose, with the beak following the line of the perch.

[Randy Stout]

Lana:

A good looking bird, techs mentioned above. Nice exposure, held the reds well.

My only additional thought has to do with sun angle. I would have preferred it closer to over your shoulder, so that the right side isn't in quite so much shadow. I do think you can bring up the shadowed area to help even it out some.

By the by, as I was coming down state from up north in Michigan on Memorial day, I was passed by a white Toyota Yaris from Kentucky. Wondered if by chance that could have been you? On highway 131, south of Grand Rapids.

Cheers

Randy

[Lana Hays]

Randy
As far as the sun angle is concerned, I can't change it because I'm shooting out of my office window onto my deck corner. My trip didn't start until after Memorial Day and I drive a Jeep so it wasn't me.

[Steve Maxson]

A very nice pose and good detail in both the blacks and whites, Lana. I would reiterate Randy's comments about light angle and the shadows on the breast and neck. A better sun angle would make this an even more striking image. Now, if you could just twist your house around to accomplish this... :)

[ChasMcRae]

Hi Lana,
Nice color and I have RedHeads also in the yard and later in the year they will come down to a setup with water. Perhaps you can do a setup to get better sunangle.
Perhaps also selectively lighten shadow under neck although not very noticeable. Feather detail is great throughout the image.
Post your 2009 spring pics !or did I miss them being away so much.

[Ramon M. Casares]

I agree with all thr comments and suggestions made above about light anlge and focus. Other than that I just want to say that it is a nice species, BG is good, perch, pose and detail are good as well. Congratulations!

[Fabs Forns]

Hey girl, you have been missed and it's a joy to see you back to photography. Magnificent specimen and interesting light angle.
Hope to see you around some more :)

[Kiran Poonacha]

What a bird, lovely colours.. Good image..