Red Bellied Woodpecker

[Joel Eade]

From my backyard about 30 minutes ago, it's 24 degrees outside with a skiff of snow on the ground and every bird in the area is coming to feed....I got several nice opportunities but after n hour or so the blind was a touch too cold and I heard a hot cup of coffee calling my name.....

1DMKIII
300mm 2.8L +1.4 TC II
Gitzo tripod + Wimberly II
430 EXII off camera left set to manual 1/8 output
Manual exposure, evaluative metering
1/500
ISO 1000
f/4

Processed with ACR and CS5... cloned out a couple of snow flakes in the air.

[pat lillich]

wonderful neutral background really makes the reds pop - beautiful detail in the creamy feathers. (and gorgeous sharp claws too) -- snowflakes sound interesting (speaking from bay area california where we just don't see snow) ---wish he was looking a little more at you - but great photo!

[Steve Deam]

Very nice. I love the eyes on these birds! Beautiful compoisition, detail and background color.

I also got some shots of a RBWP yesterday in my backyard setup just a little further north of you in Indiana - very similar weather...

[Julie Kenward]

Joel, he looks a little washed out from what I usually see in my back yard. I hit auto contrast and then added red and yellow to his head to give him the pop of color I'm used to seeing. Let me know what you think...

Lovely pose BTW!

[Joel Eade]

Thanks Julie,

I did de-sat the reds...maybe too much...but I usually get a comment about the reds being too hot. Probably went a little far this time.

Joel