Red-winged Blackbird- Green Cay Wetlands, FL

[Shawn Marques]

I was taking a series of portrait images with this guy, when suddenly it started fluttering about it's wings. Taken at a very short distance, it was necessary to add canvas to both sides of the image. The edge of the right wing was slightly clipped off and was re-created. On the left, a large, green leaf was removed from the foreground and tail. Thanks for taking a peek!

Canon 40D, Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS USM
1/1000s @ f/8.0, ISO 400, 600mm
Gitzo carbon fiber tripod, Wimberley head
Taken in early morning overcast skies

[DanWalters]

I like the head-on view and nice details in the blacks.

[Ed Erkes]

Up Close and Personal. A very interesting image! I like it a lot!!

[Daniel Cadieux]

Very cool and in-your-face! I've often found these guys to have a mean look to them and this photo shows just that. Too bad about the green leaf behind. Just an idea here, but instead of adding canvas I would try the opposite and crop in...as a vertical pano. It may be just me but I think this gives it an even more dramatic effect.

http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w98/dancad/tn_NewRWB_MG_172620as20Smart20Objec.jpg

[Jody Melanson]

Great pose, love the look. Lots of detail in the blacks. I wish the feet were in focus as they are prominent in the picture.

[Shawn Marques]

Very cool and in-your-face! I've often found these guys to have a mean look to them and this photo shows just that. Too bad about the green leaf behind. Just an idea here, but instead of adding canvas I would try the opposite and crop in...as a vertical pano. It may be just me but I think this gives it an even more dramatic effect.

http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w98/dancad/tn_NewRWB_MG_172620as20Smart20Objec.jpg

Hey Dan. I thought about doing a vertical crop like this, though less dramatically so. I was too chicken- too concerned about the blurry feet getting too accentuated by a long crop. I am surprised the blurred feet have not yet been mentioned, as it would have been certainly brought up immediately at another critiquing site I frequent. Anyway, so glad you did this. I love what you did to it! But you know, I can always have that background leaf cloned out as well!!

[Daniel Cadieux]

Shawn, I did notice the feet but did not mention it as the intense look on the face grabs all the wanted attention...rendering the slightly OOF feet a non-issue :-)

[Maxis Gamez]

I like the first post, very interesting. Extremely sharp with a good exposure. Second post does not work for me at all.