Blue-and-white Flycatcher (Semi-artificial portrait)

[Craig Brelsford]

Blue-and-white flycatcher (adult male), on migration in May 2010 in Jiangsu, China. The blue-and-white lives only in East Asia. A tough bird to shoot when it faces you, because of the contrasting whites, blacks, and blues. I replaced the original background, also green.

Camera: Nikon D300
Lens: VR 600mm F/4G
Vibration reduction: off
Aperture: F/4
Shutter speed: 1/100s
ISO: 200
Exposure mode: manual
Shutter release: mirror-up
Flash: none

[Tony Whitehead]

Great colours and a nice pose, Craig. Critical focus seems to be on the shoulder leaving the eye a bit soft and the shoulder looking a bit oversharpened as presented. masking the sharpening back form the shoulder and adding a bit more selective sharpening around the eye may be worth a try. I think a touch more contrast would also be good.

[Juan Aragonés]

Craig, the background seems way oversaturated and unnatural and with a warmer color temperature than the bird. Perhaps you can post the original BG to compare and we will try to help you. I think that if you want to make such an important modification in the BG you should try to get a more natural result and, of course, diclosing the modification (like you did :))

[Craig Brelsford]

Hi, Juan, believe it or not, the original BG is an even more brilliant green. Disclosing major alterations is a given; indeed, I'm proud of the alteration. I'm finding that I'm using my iPhone more and more to display my photos. In that small (5 x 7 cm) format, simple is best. I've therefore been experimenting with simplifying my backgrounds. Yes, the simplification makes the portrait semi-artificial, but in this case art serves reality, for the eye of the viewer goes directly to the bird; there's zero clutter; it's a bird's head inside my phone.

I'm out to dinner right now and will post the original after I get home.

[Fabs Forns]

Great portrait, Craig, I'd also like to see the original.
Very nice head angle and catch light and also good detail in the plumage.
Would you considering cleaning the stuff in the bill?

[Craig Brelsford]

I have the original plus another worked version of the shot here:

http://birdphotographers.net/forums/showthread.php?p=529227#post529227