A sweet and problematic sparrow

[Jack Breakfast]

Greetings folks, here's a look at everybody's favorite non-sparrow sparrow! Taken with the Canon 7D and 70-200 f4L at 140mm. iso800, 1/320, f5.6. This picture is tricky, so far as I'm concerned. That's to say that I like certain things about it but also have problems with a few things. I don't see any sense in listing them here, because it's YOUR opinions I'm after. Obviously I like it enough to keep it and am posting it now because I am a selfish ******* who can learn well from your critiques. Why? Because you're smart, and you know things. I will welcome your comments and ideas and opinions and suggestions...many thanks for your time and consideration...
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[Jack Breakfast]

My word! I was censored! The word I wrote wasn't even a curseword, as I am a demure and peaceful gentleman! Wow! Anyhow, the more I look at this, the more I'm driven crazy by the perch coming out my sparrow's head! Perhaps others will be unbothered by such, but I have my doubts...hmm....

[Melissa Groo]

I think this is a sweet sparrow portrait, Jack. The focus falls away quite quickly but to me that's fine here, as it just focuses our attention on the bird's face, and where the action is. The stick coming out of the head definitely bothers me. CAn you try to selectively darken it at all to draw less attention to it?

[Jack Breakfast]

Thanks Melissa...I think that's a fine idea...unfortunately I'll probably get rid of this photo as the bird looks great and I like the focus fall-off a lot (in this case) but it's that **** stick! Not to worry...it's one of the most common birds around...perhaps I'll see if anyone else has anything to contribute...I feel I posted this picture in error.

[Jonathan Ashton]

Hey Jack this little cheeky chappie has one or two of problems in my (maybe not so humble!) opinion!
My first reaction is processing, I sense you may have done something a little different to previously where by and large your processing has been good. The colours look a smidgen over saturated and the image is a tad noisy. Was this a crop? If so was it quite large? Having just looked at the lens deployed I suspect you were perhaps very close.
Second I would suggest he is a little large in the frame.
Third due to the combination of the magnification i.e. size of bird in the original image along with aperture choice you have a deficiency in the DOF department. This serves to provide an illusionary effect regarding the perch which appears to be almost self supporting from sky hooks. You do however have the head area in good focus.
I do like the fact that he is reaching for the seeds, it is always a good idea to try to capture the subject doing something.
In short I would suggest not so tight, a little NR may help and keep exposing to the right.

[Jack Breakfast]

Thanks Jonathan, this is about 85% of the original capture...I don't recall having done any usual processing, but I'll check the raw file later...perhaps you're right. I'm sure I underexposed this photo, which was taken back in November...I'm pretty sure I knew nothing of exposing to the right back then...this is a female house sparrow, is she not? Other than that, I'm in agreement with you, more or less! A sincere thanks for your critique, it is much appreciated...

[Bill Dix]

Interesting image, Jack, and I can see why you liked aspects of it. I think I wouldn't have minded having that much of the bird without sharp focus if the foreground flower were sharp; or maybe the other way around, with sharp flower and oof body. But soft focus on both disturbs me some, as does the perch coming out of the head. I'd try Melissa's suggestion and tone it down. But I would keep the image in my files.

[Don Lacy]

Hi Jack, Here is my honest opinion this image would not have made my first cut when culling for the following reasons I find the BG distracting not enough OOF to be pleasing and not sharp enough to make it a habitat image, the quality is lacking the image is way to noisy, I also find the perch coming put of the head annoying, and the main issue I have with the image is the subject is in shade while the branch it is feeding on is in sunlight and is the brightest part of the frame which draws the viewers eye from the subject. I did not mean this to be harsh but an honest critique of why I did not find this image to be pleasing your subject should not have any other elements in the frame competing for attention.

[Jack Breakfast]

Hi Bill, many thanks for your comments. I won't delete the photo b/c there are a few things here that I like very much. That said, I don't intend to work on the photo...no sense trying to make a troubled photo acceptable...better to just shoot more...it's an extremely common and forthcoming bird, after all.
Hi Don,
I appreciate your comments very much. I agree with some of your points but most of all I'm very grateful for your honest critique, and would expect nothing less. For the sake of discussion, I'll say that the noise in this photo is not an issue for me, not at all. That said, I think that noise bothers me far less than it bothers many folks on this forum.
Anyhow folks, I do appreciate your time. As soon as I posted the photo I regretted it somewhat. I shouldn't be posting photos that I feel half-hearted love for, at best...

[Don Lacy]

Hi Bill, many thanks for your comments. I won't delete the photo b/c there are a few things here that I like very much. That said, I don't intend to work on the photo...no sense trying to make a troubled photo acceptable...better to just shoot more...it's an extremely common and forthcoming bird, after all.
Hi Don,
I appreciate your comments very much. I agree with some of your points but most of all I'm very grateful for your honest critique, and would expect nothing less. For the sake of discussion, I'll say that the noise in this photo is not an issue for me, not at all. That said, I think that noise bothers me far less than it bothers many folks on this forum.
Anyhow folks, I do appreciate your time. As soon as I posted the photo I regretted it somewhat. I shouldn't be posting photos that I feel half-hearted love for, at best...
If you learned from this post then it was a worth posting the noise is only a minor issue the the bright section pulling the viewers eyes from the subject is the major flaw for me.

[Jack Breakfast]

Hi Don...I'm in agreement with you...the major flaw for me is the bright twig coming out of the sparrow's brain...otherwise I quite like the picture...anyhow: onward and upward!