Female Cardinal

[Clyde Hopper]

This photo is heavy everything . Heavy crop (Around 20 % remaining ) and heavily processed . To start out with I used Denise Ippolito's "Protect and defend cloning with layers " . All adjustments were done selectively ,with the bg or with the subject . Levels ,sharpening ,on the bird . On the bg , NR ,burning and some additional blurring .
This was shot in my backyard . I was in a blind 30 yrds off . The perch was placed by me above one my feeders . tripod was in use ,with vr on .
Lens is a sigma 150-500 mm
Exif data

Camera	Nikon D90
Exposure	0.003 sec (1/320)
Aperture	f/8.0
Focal Length	380 mm
ISO Speed	800
Exposure Bias	0 EV
Flash	no flash

10 07 12_4042_edited-1 by Clyde Hopper, on Flickr

Looking at the photo posted here it looks over sharpened ,but on flickr it looks ok .......???

[Kerry Perkins]

Hi Clyde, on my computer this image looks fine but the one on Flckr looks soft. The image I see here is smaller than the one on Flickr also. I'm curious about the crop versus your focal length. If you were so far away why didn't you use all the lens? I would suggest moving her out of the corner just a bit to give more space for the tail. I like the color and sharpness. Exposure seems good but maybe a little dark - not much maybe 1/3 stop.

[Clyde Hopper]

Kerry, that should be 30 feet ,not yards. more like ten yards . I shouldn't post when tired . Sorry . I am still learning the lens and backed away from wide open thinking it would be sharper .
Thank you for all of your help ! I hope I can return the favor one day.

[Bob Miller]

Hi Clyde...nice quality image for being so heavily cropped. I agree it could be just a tad brighter and you might consider evicting that small twig pointing down in the image

[Clyde Hopper]

Hi Clyde...nice quality image for being so heavily cropped. I agree it could be just a tad brighter and you might consider evicting that small twig pointing down in the image

Thanks Bob .I contemplated removing the twig ,but opp-ed not to thinking along the lines of balance , (I may be thinking too much here ) I thought the twig would balance the sticks on the opposite side of the bird's feet . I will clip it and see how it looks ......I know it does distract MY eye a bit too . Thanka again .