I made this image in late summer, using my backyard set-up. I would have preferred that the bird wasn't centered so squarely in the frame, but my crop (about 50%) was based more on my attempt to show the most attractive part of the perch, which was becoming a bit tattered by the end of the summer. (I'm on the lookout for a more attractive, intact one.) I increased exposure by .3, and cloned some of the background to make it more uniform.
Canon Rebel Xsi
300mm f/4 with 1/4X, shot at 420mm
f 5.6, 1/200s, ISO 400, tripod
Looks like you got the bird well focused, sharp and exposed pretty well too. I agree with your assessment of the perch and will add that the perch seems too large in diameter for such a small bird. It is sort of overwhelming for this particular shot. The background needs some smoothing out as there is considerable noise and jpeg banding present especially above the perch. You could select this area and run a surface blur or gaussian blur and that might help. Thanks for posting and keep shooting.
Wendy, nice shot of a bird I don't see down here, so thanks for posting. I agree with Joel's comments on the background/perch replacement. There's definitely some banding/jpeg artifacts in the shadow area of the background, but overall a nice shot.
Thanks, Joel and Jeannean,
I think the artifact is due to the splotchy cloning job I did on the background. I'll either re-clone the background, or try the blur you suggested.
Wendy
Good comments above. Yes to a slimmer perch with more character. Watch the head angles; seeing just a sliver of the bird's right eye is somewhat problematic. With this pose it is best to make the image when the bird is looking right down the lens barrel or when the head is turned 45 degrees to us. Thanks a stack for your membership support.
BIRDS AS ART Blog: great info and lessons, lots of images with our legendary BAA educational Captions; we will not sell you junk. 30+ years of long lens experience/e-mail with gear questions.
BIRDS AS ART Online Store: we will not sell you junk. 35 years of long lens experience. Please e-mail with gear questions.
Check out the new SONY e-Guide and videos that I did with Patrick Sparkman here. Ten percent discount for BPN members,
Thanks for your excellent points, Artie! I must admit I hadn't even noticed the sliver of the bird's right eye before you pointed it out, but now I clearly see what you mean.
You are most welcome. To learn a ton more about set-up photography I can recommend several things: the Practicalities chapter in The Art of Bird Photography II and/or one of Alan Murphy's two great e-Guides here. Best to start with the first one, A Guide to Songbird Set-Up Photography and then add the second one, The Photographer's Guide to Attracting Birds. Or, save $10 by ordering them together.
BIRDS AS ART Blog: great info and lessons, lots of images with our legendary BAA educational Captions; we will not sell you junk. 30+ years of long lens experience/e-mail with gear questions.
BIRDS AS ART Online Store: we will not sell you junk. 35 years of long lens experience. Please e-mail with gear questions.
Check out the new SONY e-Guide and videos that I did with Patrick Sparkman here. Ten percent discount for BPN members,
I'm still working my way through Art of Bird Photography I, so I had no idea that the second edition had a whole section on backyard setups. I just skimmed it, and it looks like it's going to be really helpful! Now if only the snow would melt so I could hunt for some perches!
Junco
