Mockingbird in purple sage

[D. Robert Franz]

Another image from last spring in South Texas. This was taken just as the sun was rising.

Camera Model: Canon EOS-1D Mark IV
Shutter speed: 1/1250 sec
Aperture: 4
Exposure mode: Av
Exposure compensation: -1/3
Flash: Off
Metering mode: Multi-segment
ISO: 800
Focal length: 500mm

[Bhushan Dalvi]

I like how the flowers frame the bird and act as a perch. BG looks nice. A great image overall. HA looks fine too but I would have preferred a little more head turn.

[Richard Stern]

Hi Robert,

I too love the juxtaposition of the more brightly colored flowers and the relatively duller colored bird. The oof focus tail rather overwhelms the image, and I would have preferred a less tight crop. The side lighting from the left is pleasing.

Richard

[Randy Stout]

Robert:

Good comments above. You had enough light to get a bit more DOF here, which would have served the image well. The directional light is nice and soft, but a small head turn more to the birds left would have nice to keep the entire head that we could see well lit. The shadowing on the body is fine.

I like the angle of the bird in relationship to the flower masses.

Cheers

Randy

[Greg Basco]

Hi, Robert. I tend to agree with the comments above, particularly regarding the image being too tight. One of the things I like about your images is the way you compose with space and other elements included. The light is great as are the flowers so I would have liked to have seen more of them around the bird. I realize this may have happened quickly, though, and perhaps you didn't have the luxury of moving around.

Cheers,
Greg

[Charles Scheffold]

Love the color of the BG combined with the flowers and the bird.

I really like the tight crop and DOF as is - for me, the OOF tail all fanned out makes for a great compositional element. In a perfect world I guess the HA could be better (with less shadowing) but I do love it for what it is.

Charles