Pine Siskin

[Dennis Zaebst]

These aren't around here (Cincinnati area) every year, but this year, I have seen dozens. They buzz around the nyjer seed feeders, and often steal sunflower seeds on the ground dropped by other birds.

Canon 1DIV; ISO 800; 500 mm f/4L IS + EF 1.4x TC II; 1/400 sec. @ f/7.0; PP in LR 4.2. I cloned out some twigs from the BG, and used Luminance noise reduction on BG. Moderate crop and sharpening of the bird. I realize this is not a perfect BG, but there is no way to get that given the location and the dense woods bordering my back yard.

C/C always appreciated. Thanks!

[Don Nelson]

Good IQ and excellent capture of the pose -- even the tail is in focal plane. If it were mine, I'd clean up the little white dot (water? seed? other?) on the wing area -- my eye is instantly drawn there due to contrast. Your background works fine for this bird - we have them every winter and they love the brushy areas around feeders.

[PhilCook]

The IQ on this is fantastic, lovely detail and good head turn, I find the contrast on this perfect, rich in texture but not overdone. My personal thoughts this backgrounds is...... I like it as is, I can understand others may see it as busy, I see it as natural and adding interest, I rather see this that a totally uniform backdrop in most cases

[Shawn Zierman]

Siskin looks great. That's an excellent pose, giving a nice all around view of the bird.
This is a handsome specimen as well. Some siskins can look quite drab, this one is sharp
looking with nice dark streaking, contrasty plumage, and sharp looking yellow edges on the
primaries. The background is what it is. It's not my cup of tea, but I would not pass up
on the opportunity. The main issue with the bg for me, is the slightly dark branch coming
out of the top of the head of the bird....

[christopher galeski]

very nice,well sharp,nice pose,would clone out the branch coming out of the top of the birds head.nice one.

[Dennis Zaebst]

Thanks Don, Phil, Shawn, and Christopher. I hadn't noticed the tiny white dot on the wing, but now that you mention it, it stands out like a sore thumb. This is an easy correction. Shawn & Christopher, I agree on the branch and will clone that out. This is why this site is so great...not only does one get feedback on the good points, but on the problems in the photo as well, most of which are correctable. Many times, a photographer (like me) gets so invested in an image, partly because so much effort and time has been spent in obtaining the photo, that he or she fails to see (or doesn't want to see) the little issues. That's where the great folks here are so valuable.

Thanks again!

[Henry Domke]

I realize this is not a perfect BG, but there is no way to get that given the location and the dense woods bordering my back yard.

I agree that the background is a bit distracting. But if you can't get the bird of of that setting then perhaps something can be done with Photoshop. I did a very quick experiment using Lens Blur with Photoshop CS6. Do you think this helps? Does it look fake?

[Dennis Zaebst]

Thanks Henry, I appreciate the input! That is an improvement. I guess sometimes I need to learn to send the photos over from Lightroom to Photoshop. I do that occasionally when I need to use complex layers, masks, and canvas extensions. But employing some of the other effects available in PS would be advantageous.

Thanks again.

[Henry Domke]

Thanks Henry, I appreciate the input!

You are welcome!

I love Lightroom too! However, for local adjustments Photoshop is superior in many ways. I use Lightroom for global adjustments and Photoshop for local adjustments. I think every image needs at least a bit of both.

[Daniel Cadieux]

What a beautiful Pine Siskin! I haven't seen any in a couple of years but when I last did it was an epic invasion! The subject is well exposed and perfectly detaile. Nice head turn. The BG is not my favorite type, but I undersatnd those were the conditions you had. You mention this taken in your yard...is there no way to move the feeder, even if only away from those twigs? Sometimes I'll brace my nyger feeder directly on the ground to avoid clumps of branches like that and then lay on the ground, or move the feeder well away and then sit in a hide and wait...just an idea or two...

[Henry Domke]

Sometimes I'll brace my nyger feeder directly on the ground to avoid clumps of branches like that and then lay on the ground, or move the feeder well away and then sit in a hide and wait...just an idea or two...

This sounds interesting but I can't quite picture it. Can you tell us more about how you position yourself and the feeder to avoid such backgrounds?

Thanks!
Henry

[Daniel Cadieux]

This sounds interesting but I can't quite picture it. Can you tell us more about how you position yourself and the feeder to avoid such backgrounds?

Thanks!
Henry

Henry, the plastic "tube" nyger feeders are so light that I just play around with placement until a suitable BG is attained. If it is parked directly on the ground I just lay down flat on the ground about 12 feet away (à la shorebird photography style) and wait. If the feeder is hung higher I often use a pop-up blind to sit in...the redpolls and siskins will come in anyhow, but other species shy away when standing upright without cover. Hope this answers your question?

[Henry Domke]

Thanks for the explanation Daniel. I'll try your technique!

[Dennis Zaebst]

Henry:

This is the best I could do with LR; it might not be as good as your PP. I tried editing the file in CS6, and used quick selection tool, then hit CTRL-C, CTRL-V, to add a Layer 1, then employed Lens Blur on the Layer 1. But I couldn't get it to work right for some reason. Is there some trick to blurring the background? I guess I have a lot to learn.

Daniel:

Thanks for the tips on Back yard photography. Most helpful. I'll try that. I also just bought Alan Murphy's "The Photographer's Guide to Attracting Birds". Hoping to use all these techniques, including yours, to better my photography.

Thanks again.

[Henry Domke]

"Is there some trick to blurring the background? I guess I have a lot to learn."
I just played with the lens blur settings till it looked good.
You are right, there is a lot to learn in Photoshop! But you don't have to learn it all at once. I encourage you to play with it briefly on each image to see if you can't tweak a little more magic out of those pixels.