Northern Mockingbird

[Oscar Baez Soria]

These fellows love to sing early in the morning or on the evenings. They are frequent visitors in my backyard trees. They can be quite territorial and sometimes imitate other bird's sounds. Ive observed both variations with orange eyes or yellow. In PP I cloned a few leafs and twigs out of the way besides contrast, curves, NR and sharpening.





Exif:

Camera Maker: Canon
Camera Model: Canon EOS 7D
Image Date: 2012-10-21
Focal Length: 500mm
Aperture: f/8.0
Exposure Time: 0.0025 s (1/400)
ISO equiv: 400
Exposure Bias: +1.00 EV
Metering Mode: Matrix
Exposure: aperture priority (semi-auto)
White Balance: Manual
Flash Fired: No (enforced)
Orientation: Normal
Color Space: sRGB
GPS Coordinate: undefined, undefined
Software: Adobe Photoshop CS5 Windows

[Clyde Hopper]

Hi Oscar . These guys are always fun to photograph .( For me anyway ) . I like the composition on this ,with the looking into the dead space . as for crit ,I would like it better if it were a more eye level perspective ,and I think a higher shutter speed would have helped you out .

[Oscar Baez Soria]

Hi Oscar . These guys are always fun to photograph .( For me anyway ) . I like the composition on this ,with the looking into the dead space . as for crit ,I would like it better if it were a more eye level perspective ,and I think a higher shutter speed would have helped you out .

Well thanks Clyde. Forgive me but I still do not get the eye level thing with respect to a creature that spends most of their time up in trees and flying. Its not like Im under the bird and you are only seeing its legs. I agree with you about the shutter speed. Frankly this will be my last shot posted here since most of my pics are from this bothersome to a lot of you perspective. I will not waste anybody else's time here with my pics. I understand technique aspects about the photography itself but, sorry, I do not get this eye level perspective nor will possibly get it in the future. I have been posting a lot of my work in a lot of other sites about wildlife and birds and Ive never heard this kind of critique. Appreciate your feedback. With this Im not trying to be disrespectful to anyone, its your site and your point of view and that is fine. Thanks again and thanks for your and everybody elses time commenting on my pics.

[Jeannean Ryman]

Oscar, this site is very valuable for true critiques. Many other forums are all about a pat on the back, regardless if the photo is pleasing to the viewer or not. I post on some of those sites too, and while it's nice to get those pats on the back, it only helps me it there is some thoughtful critique involved (positive or negative). I told you in another thread about "eye contact" because that was one of the most important critiques given me when I first started shooting birds two years ago. Like you said, birds are often high up in trees or flying. I didn't understand it at first either. I had the eye in focus. What more was there? I'll post the two photos I am referencing (hoping it's ok for illustration purposes). I'm not saying it was THE ONE THING that helped me, but it certainly was one of the most important. The difference in these two shots was at what level *I* was shooting from, not where the bird was (naturally, roadrunners tend to stay mostly on the ground). In the first shot, I was standing up pointing my camera down at it, and in the second shot a few days later, with that critique in my mind, I crouched down on the ground and waited for it to come out of some bushes. For me, it was a great lesson to learn. I would rather get constructive criticism that helps me become a better photographer, than a 100 empty "great shot" comments especially when I am posting in a critique forum. When someone takes the time to critique an image, it's actually kind of a gift to me.

*Edit*: Just found this thread in the Avian forum that illustrates the eye contact better:http://www.birdphotographers.net/for...wk-Eye-Contact

[Clyde Hopper]

Well thanks Clyde. Forgive me but I still do not get the eye level thing with respect to a creature that spends most of their time up in trees and flying. Its not like I'm under the bird and you are only seeing its legs. I agree with you about the shutter speed. Frankly this will be my last shot posted here since most of my pics are from this bothersome to a lot of you perspective. I will not waste anybody else's time here with my pics. I understand technique aspects about the photography itself but, sorry, I do not get this eye level perspective nor will possibly get it in the future. I have been posting a lot of my work in a lot of other sites about wildlife and birds and Ive never heard this kind of critique. Appreciate your feedback. With this I'm not trying to be disrespectful to anyone, its your site and your point of view and that is fine. Thanks again and thanks for your and everybody Else's time commenting on my pics.

Qscar, I'm really sorry ,If my words offend you . That is not my intention in any way .I only offer my opinion . That opinion is from a beginner ,to someone posting in the beginners section . This is not "MY" site , I am only one member ,wishing to help others achieve their photographic goals .

As to the "Eye level " thing . when I photograph Lil children ,I get down on their level .I dislike taking photos of them ,looking down on them .When shooting Adults ,I make sure I don't take the "Up the noise " shot . when I photo wildlife ,The eye is the first thing I look at . when wildlife looks at you ,it is your eyes they look at . my point is the eyes (In my opinion ) are the most important part of any photograph of a living creature . In order to get the most impact from that eye contact ,it is best to be as close to level as possible . I believe this is true regardless of the type of animal .
The photo belongs to you ,If you like it great , please don't let my opinion impact weather you stay here ,or not . I too ,have been on MANY photo forums . I have ran out of ways to say " Great shot " ..... All the while wishing ,I could say what i really think would make the photo better .
Again , I in no way wish to offend ,only offer my honest opinions .

[Kerry Perkins]

Oscar, the goal of this website is to offer "honest critiques given gently". I see nothing in anyone's replies to you that would suggest that we are offering anything other than that. We are all here to learn to make better images - all of us. If you want to learn to make better images, there is no better place on the web. If you want to be told that your images are above improvement then there are many sites that will tell you that. The fact is, low angle shots of birds in trees can be improved. High angle shots of birds on water taken from a boardwalk can be improved. How? By making your images from a point of view that is more aligned with the bird, just like any other subject. Either get up higher or wait for the birds to get lower. If the bird is on the water, get as close to the water as you can. These are not concepts that BPN invented to torment us, they are common concepts that apply to all of photography. Of course birds live in trees and fly, that is what makes bird photography such a challenge. That doesn't mean that we can't get images of them at better angles. I have lots of images of birds in flight that are eye level. You just have to work at it and not get discouraged.

[Colin Gilyeat]

Oscar,

Like you I am new to this board, but I have found the comments and critiques to be more than fair. In my opinion, I think that many (most?) of us are technically competent in our photography, but we need improvement in other areas. For myself, I think many times I struggle with composition and then in post, how to crop and present the image in the best possible manner. Any comments I get that can help me to improve are greatly appreciated. That is why I came here, to learn from others and hopefully to be a better photographer.

While I haven't posted many comments to other images, mainly because I'm not sure if I really know how to make a constructive critisim. I do appreceiate the photos you have posted and your comments on both mine and others images.

I'd like to see more of your work. We all learn from waht others do.

Colin