Ash-throated Flycatcher

[Michael Liskay]

Encountered on a number of these cool and curious Flycatchers at the Arastadero Preserve just east of I280 in Palo Alto, CA. I liked the way the tail to the head formed a sort of reversed S curve.Canon 1D Mk IV, EF 400 DO IS, f/8, 1/1250, ISO 800, 0EV. A bit of work in Aperture, cloned out some of the branches in the lower left. Thought of cloning out more but I sort of like the perch. Lightened a highlight in the front neck area.PS now that this version is posted, the lower left could probably use some smoothing after my rushed cloining!

[Dan Brown]

Nice pose, sharpness, HA and BG, Michael! I agree with you that some smoothing on the LLC. Also a little tight on the right for me. A tough comp, the bird's bill is going into the frame but the breast/body is going the opposite way. For me, placing the bird closer to the center of the frame or even a little to the left of center might work better?

[Stan Cunningham]

The bird looks good although I agree with Dan's suggestion on placement in the center. Don't know if it's my work monitor, but the very nice color background needs NR.

[gail bisson]

Agree with more room on right and fixing LLC. Good IQ as well. You must have figured out the PP for sizing for BPN!
Gail

[Cheryl Arena Molennor]

Love the head turn and fanned tail.Pose and crop are great too.

[Michael Liskay]

Again, i cannot do Reply with Quote for some reason so a generic Thanks!

I really appreciate your comments Dan, Stan and Gail. I guess I was following the rule about giving some space on the side of the image that the bird is facing/looking. Maybe I followed that rule a bit too literally!! :bg3:

PS Gail -- this noobie is not able to translate "LLC". Guess i will Google it!

[Dan Brown]

Lower Left Corner, Michael:S3:

[Michael Liskay]

Duh!!

[Dan Brown]

somewhere in the archives here, there is a long list of acronyms! I will see if I can find it later and get it to you.

[Michael Liskay]

Ok

Positioned the bird to the center, maybe not as far as Dan was suggesting but where i prefer. cleaned up some noise in the BG per Stan's observation. And smoothed out the LLC per Gail's suggestions. Better??

[Joe Senzatimore]

Loving the re-post. Sweet!!!!

[arash_hazeghi]

Hi Mike, I like how the bird is holding on the branches! repost is an improvement

[Jonathan Ashton]

I just love these kind of shots, so natural looking. I like the original post I think the contrast appears better between subject and background, just a personal preference the shades of green look fine to me - but I am not necessarily consistent in this regard!

[Dan Brown]

Much more balanced, Michael!

[Dan Brown]

somewhere in the archives here, there is a long list of acronyms! I will see if I can find it later and get it to you.Well, I can't seem to find the list? Maybe we lost it in the recent crash?