Norther Flicker

[Nancy Bell]

This is a Red-shafted Flicker female. I find I rarely get close to these birds but on this day we were having an intense snowstorm and the flicker seemed reluctant to move. She had been feeding on a nearby suet feeder and was now resting on an aspen trunk. I photographed from an open door (I didn't want to go out into the snowstorm!), using the door frame for support.

Canon 1D Mark IV, Canon 400 F4 DO IS, 1/1250, f6.3, exp. comp. +1 1/3 (since the snowy bkgd was so bright), ISO 800.

As I look at this now I think there is too much aspen in the image. And does the eye need a bit of something?

[Diane Miller]

Lovely! Yes, I'd crop about half the aspen off. Is it fair to add a catchlight in the eye?

[Randy Stout]

Nancy:

The aspen bark is a perfect color match for the bird, but would crop from the left as you indicated. There is a subtle catchlight there, and you can certainly augment it and maintain a natural look.

The reds on the bird add a pop of color, all good.

I really like the feel of this one, so certainly worth the tweaking.

Cheers

Randy

[Alan Murphy]

Love the detail, BG and stump. Not crazy about the square crop.

[Karl Egressy]

I would crop about 1 1/2-2" from the left and would remove the dark area from the bottom right. Love the detail and pose.

[PhilCook]

Sweet looking bird, very interesting markings and captured well with extra nice fine detail, agree cropping a bit more of the tree trunk would work nicer

[Nancy Bell]

Thank you all. I agree with all about cropping. That would also lose the square crop that it is now. Karl, I also wondered about removing that bottom right dark area. Think I will try it.

[Karl Egressy]

Much much better. Great work.

[PhilCook]

Yep, that's the ticket