Flower Child

[Ian Cassell]

This GBH was hanging out at a pond on a golf course in Mesa, AZ

Canon 7D
Sigma 100-300mm f/4 + 1.4x TC @ 420mm
f/8 @ 1/1000sec
ISO 500


A little crop/sharpening in CS4

[Dave Leroy]

Great places to find birds, especially around the water.

Nice photo and I like the inclusion of the flowers.

A little lower angle if possible would have been nice as well.

[Ian Cassell]

Thanks, Dave. I agree that a lower angle would have been preferred. I was on a slight rise over the bird.

[Lance Peters]

Hi Ian - do like the included flowers - agree a lower angle might have been nice.
as presented the bird is a little centred in the frame for my tastes - some more room on the lhs and take some from the right hand side??
Good show :)

[Ricardo Rodriguez]

Hi Ian, agree with Dave and Lance. Would also clone out the distracting white spots on the water.

[Alfred Forns]

Hi Ian Good find and great setting !!

Main ting is the placement of the bird as Lance mentions, best to frame him more lower and right !! btw in the time of non-AF cameras it was not a prevalent. Images were framed better :) Now we mostly use the center point !! ... best to select one of the side points, go to one shot then recompose or set up the camera so you can hold focus and move!!

Also try getting setting up the sun angle is possible or going in PS to lighten the darker areas like the back of neck !! Like getting those birds around golf courses since they are approachable .... just look out for them stray golf balls !!! :)

[Bill Dix]

I like the inclusion of the flowers, and the pose of the bird. Good advice above as to shooting angle. Sun angle was not ideal either, but we take what we can get. I would remove some of the white spots and run NR on the background.

[Ian Cassell]

Thanks for your comments, all. I have some more room on the original, so will look at a different crop.

[Ann Fiske]

Nice image with the flowers. Like it a lot.

Ann

[Dave Mills]

Hi Ian, good advice above with most points covered. I feel the flowers add alot to the image and makes it a bit different from others of this type.
The white areas in the bkrnd are distracting as noted and a bit taken off the right will offset the bird more.
Finally lighting is a key element. Pick your times when you shoot (if possible) so you can maximise the best possible light....