Question regarding Wren

I took this in my backyard a couple of days ago and am wondering whether I should remove the green bud on the twig. I happen to like it the way it is, but I got to wondering what the majority of the viewers thought. Please let me know what you think. Shooting data is as follows:
Nikon D4
2013:04:30 15:33:17
600mm
600mm (in 35mm film)
1/1600 sec, f/4.5
Mode: Manual
Metering: Multi-segment
ISO: 800
AF mode: AF-C
White balance: SUNNY+2
Flash: Off
File size: 18.5MB
Image size: 160 x 120
Color space: AdobeRGB
Saturation: Normal
Sharpness: Normal
Contrast: Norma

I don't mind the bud, although it would have been nice to get it in focus. I wish the sun was hitting the head instead of the feet, and I might back off on the sharpening just a little.

I like the bud, and especially like the grass in the beak. This is a lovely image, I do like it's stance and the detail is very nice...maybe a tad over sharpened. Beautiful looking bird, such lovely markings and despite the bud being oof, the bird itself has great dof with even focus on head and tail, extra nice backdrop...I do like that subtle greenish tone

Lovely pose and details on this one, Wheeler. Agree on it being a tad over sharpened. Even lighting would have been nice, but you handled it well.

I thank Doug and Phill for their thoughts regarding this image. I am surprised that they both thought it was over sharpened as I hardly applied any sharpening as I really try not to over sharpen images. Mostly I am criticized for under sharpening. I will try not to sharpens it at all and see how it looks. Thanks to you both for your thoughts.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Wheeler McDougal Jr.

I thank Doug and Phill for their thoughts regarding this image. I am surprised that they both thought it was over sharpened as I hardly applied any sharpening as I really try not to over sharpen images. Mostly I am criticized for under sharpening. I will try not to sharpens it at all and see how it looks. Thanks to you both for your thoughts.

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I too get confused about how much to sharpen and a lot depends on what program others view or edit the image in. As an example if I edit/view in PSE most images look over sharpened, but if i do same in CS4 they always look like they need quite a bit more ...frustrating ?
A lot comes down to personal opinion/tastes, I know a few folk who state vehemently that any degree of sharpening looks too unnatural. A lot also comes down to the individual subject and light conditions it's taken in. A number of my small bird shots taken in the very harsh and arid interior of Australia look quite coarse and maybe over sharpened even though I may of applied almost none. In cases like that I think the reason is the birds plumage has a naturally dry and coarse look to it, as opposed to birds in wetter areas

Your image does not look badly over sharpened, but on my monitor it seems slightly so...but that may not mean it is....in any case it is a great capture and I feel maybe the best you have posted so far that I have viewed

Beautiful image.Very nice pose with nesting material. I like the smooth BG,pose and composition.
If mine ,would remove the bud. Agree about sharpening.

Regards,
Satish.

This is a very good image of this wren Wheeler. I like the green bud but it would have looked a lot better in focus. If the perch would have been parallel to the sensor it would have been more in focus. Also you could have gotten more DOF with a smaller aperture unless you were very close ( the closer you are to the subject the less DOF anyway) By the way is this a jpeg out of the camera or do you shoot raw and process with LR or photoshop etc.?

This repost is as I promised and I applied no sharpening. I can't see a lot of difference between this version and the original post. What do all of you think?

Re post looks nicer I think, smoother looking plumage but still showing nice fine detail