Red-Wing Blackbird

[D.J. McNeil]

I decided that I didn't have pictures of many of the common birds in my area, so I went on a hunt for song sparrows. I found this guy instead, and I normally would have passed up the opurtunity for the shot, but I loved the habitat and went for it.

I had to wade through freezing Michigan marsh near my school to get this shot (I am a high school student), but the bird was rather cooperative!

Taken with a Canon Rebel XTi, on a 100-400mm, with a 2X extender

What do you think?

[Jim Poor]

Hard to tell a lot at this size, but the exposure is a bit dark. I tried to lighten it up a bit, but there isn't much data in the web image. Maybe if you started from the original (hopefully RAW) file.

A bit of fill flash or + compensation would have been the key.

[Alfred Forns]

HI DJ !!!! Great bird to go after Normally I don't pass anything up Like to go for best available !!!!

If you can remember to post the tech info Will be helpful in knowing what to do This was under exposed by at least one and one half stops? If you try top open now to compensate the noise will be overpowering Best to nail exp in camera.

With lots of white the camera meter will close down to make the whites gray All meters work on that principle Dark objects are made lighter and light objects darker. With snow you can actually meter on (all) snow and open one and one half stop Will get you very close. With a scene like this is alway good to check the histogram.

Hard to judge sharpness from this image but using a 2X on your lens is not the best of ideas If you do have the lens on a tripod and use good long lens technique Your magnification is 1280 !!!!! Would go straight as much as you can and only to 1.4X with lots of care and stopping down one stop.

As presented composition wise would have more room on the left side of the bird Image is centered which detracts I like you got the bird calling and showing the red patches Catching him on an isolated perch would have been great Sure to have lots more chances !!!! Looking forward to the next one !!!

[Gus Cobos]

Like the repost, the first one was a wee bit too dark for me. Composition is good...:D

[Oscar Zangroniz]

Excellent re-post, original a bit to dark.
Beautiful bird.
Regards,

[Judd Patterson]

Hey D.J., excellent posing blackbird in some great cattail habitat. As the others have mentioned, your original is quite dark and there is very little detail visible in the blacks. Definitely use the histogram on your camera to ensure that you are properly exposing your photograph (not clipped on either side of the histogram unless you are going for a specific effect). Fill flash can also be a huge help here to lighten up dark colors/shadows. Keep at it!!