Slate colored Junco

[Wheeler McDougal Jr.]

Cought this fellow outside my window to the backyard. I think these guys are very hansom and have just started to appear for the winter here in Central Illinois. Please coment as all thoughts are very appreciated. Shooting data follows:
Nikon D3S
2011:11:16 12:59:16
850mm
850mm (in 35mm film)
Subject dist: 10.0m
1/1250 sec, f/5.6
Mode: Manual
Metering: Multi-segment
ISO: 800
White balance: Auto
Flash: Off
File size: 65.8MB
Image size: 1425 x 1782
Color space: AdobeRGB
Saturation: Normal
Sharpness: Normal
Contrast: Normal
Color profile: Adobe RGB

[Linda Dulak]

Wheeler: One of my favorite winter birds!

I like the sharpness on the front of the bird, but a bit more DOF would be nice to get more of the tail in focus. If this were mine I might try to clone out that snag on the perch which is just to the left of the bird as it's really distracting. My eye keeps going over to that area.

Linda

[Daniel Cadieux]

Cute bird, one of my favorite winter species too. I like the relaxed "studio" pose. Perch abit thick for this guy but nicely coloured. I don't mind the snag Linda mentions, but I'm not a fan of the pruned look of the bottom stubby. I'd sharpen the face a bit more, and smooth out what looks like cloning artefacts touching the back of the subject.

[Wheeler McDougal Jr.]

Here is a repost of the image with the stub gone as Linda suggests, but I must say I like it better in rather than out. Daniel, good eye, there was a out of focus branch in front of the bird that I cloned out. It went right across the belly and the back of the bird. I worked very hard to get it out, but evidently not hard enough. I really don't know how I can do much better, but if you have suggestions I would really like to hear them. Thanks to both of you for your help.


Mac

[Raul Padilla]

great pose and light, good eye contact, the perch a little big, great job