Chipping Sparrow

[Michael Rominger Jr]

Photographed this little fellow late one evening a couple of weeks ago. Called him in to the blind I was setup in. NR to the BG and sharpening to the bird. Thanks for looking!
Nikon D300s
Sigma 150-500 @500mm
F/9
1/125
ISO 800
Exp. Comp. +.3
Induro BHD-3 Ballhead
Induro AT 413 Tripod

[Marina Scarr]

Good to hear you're working from your set up. Love all the flowers except the ones directly behind the bird. This would have worked much better with brown behind the entire bird's body since so many flowers for me at least is a little overpowering. I am seeing a halo around your bird. I would guess it's from selecting your bird and working on your BG. Lovely pose and angle on the bird.

I am seeing some blue in your bird's shoulder area. Do these birds have this blue or could it be a color cast?

[Michael Rominger Jr]

Thank you Marina for taking the time to comment and critique! I do wish the flower blossom behind the bird wasn't there as I believe you are correct in that the whole scene would have looked better. Could you describe the halo a little better for me? I have to do all my processing on my laptop which can make things a little difficult and I'm not seeing a halo on my screen atleast. Any remedies you could give to help with the halo effect? Also, these birds do not have any blue in their feathers. They do have a little darker grey under feather and this could be part of what you are seeing although I had questioned a possible color cast myself. This was shot late evening time after the sun had gone behind the trees so you are probably right. Thank you again!

[Marina Scarr]

If you look down the bird's back and tail, you will see a slight "line" adjacent to your bird. That is what we sometimes refer to as a halo. It can be caused by selecting the bird or the BG and not being careful enough with your selection, or it can be caused by oversharpening.

[PhilCook]

I do like the setting among the blossoms Michael, I feel the bird is a little oversharpened and agree with the rest of Marinas C&C.

Cropping can often be a personal choice imo, but as a suggestion to help eliminate the competition between bird and flowers perhaps crop tighter....perhaps....as a suggestion below

[Michael Rominger Jr]

If you look down the bird's back and tail, you will see a slight "line" adjacent to your bird. That is what we sometimes refer to as a halo. It can be caused by selecting the bird or the BG and not being careful enough with your selection, or it can be caused by oversharpening.

Thanks Marina! I'll see if I can keep that in check then.

[Michael Rominger Jr]

Thank you Phil! Funny you mention cropping a little tighter. Thats something I actually usually do but is one thing I've been changing up here and there lately. I like your repost quite a bit though. Thank you in regards to the critique as well. Maybe the over sharpening is what caused the halo Marina mentioned.