Tree Swallow

[Rodney Flowers]

http://web.ics.purdue.edu/%7Eflowersr/Critiques/April2010/20100608Tree_Swallow-_MG_1153-Web-4x5.jpg

Let me know what you think. All comments are welcome.
Canon EOS 7D
Canon EF600mm f/4 IS L USM with 1.4xII teleconverter
ISO 400
f/8 @ 1/800sec

[Axel Hildebrandt]

I like the angle, eye contact, sharpness and BG. I would try to get more details in the blacks and tone down the whites more.

[Rodney Flowers]

Is this better? I used a quick mask to copy the white portion on the chin and side of the face to another layer and applied a linear burn. I dropped the fill level down a little. I used the burn tool to lighten up some of the white on the underside. I then applied an adjustment using shadows/highlights to bring out more detail in the blacks.
Let me know if it looks better or if there is a better way to do this. Thanks.
http://web.ics.purdue.edu/%7Eflowersr/Critiques/April2010/20100608Tree_Swallow-_MG_1153-Web-4x5-2.jpg

[Arthur Morris]

Love the head angle and the sweet BKGR. You are a good student as you nailed Axel's excellent suggestions on the first try. There are lots of ways to do everything in PS but you did well.

[Fabs Forns]

Rodney, excellent repost on a beautiful picture, I like the glossy feathers you revealed in the second one, thanks so much for sharing!
ps, I may crop some off the top.

[Axel Hildebrandt]

The repost makes this much stronger and Fabs' suggestion to crop a bit off the top is a good idea.