Stonie on grass

[Richard Unsworth]

The grass outside my house has burned to gold and powder, the wild flowers are long gone.

I as you know have being photographing the Stonechats (hope they are not boring you!)

This young male decided to pop over and say hi earlier today; looks like he is standing to attention!

Canon 7D 100-400 ISO 400 ME HH 1/640 F5.6


Curves, NR to BG, Smartsharpen 100, .5 after resize, burn to some grass, some blur to BG

[Alan Murphy]

Not the best plumage, but a nice pose with good detail.

[gail bisson]

This little guy looks like "he was ridden hard and put to bed wet!" Bird and eye have good IQ.
Nice alert pose. A vertical comp would look nice if not too much of a crop affecting IQ.
I would blend/blur the OOF reeds coming out of the top of the head and clone out the grass that you burned just in front of the birds' belly as it looks weird with the grey color and distracts.
Gail

[Satish Ranadive]

Beautiful image of handsome bird,but looks untidy here.Beautiful colors,details and lights.
Wish you could have goan tad lower,probably difficult to lower than this.
Very nice pose,looks he has posed for you only. Love the frame.

Regards,
Satish.

[Daniel Cadieux]

A lower angle would have helped smoothen the top half of the BG, but I like the alert posture and the exposure/details. When you have cooperative subjects go for it with all you got, not bored with Stonechats :-)

[Stu Bowie]

Hi Richard, well exposed on the molting plumage, and I love stonechats - have plenty in the reserve close to me. I would go with a vertical here.

[Richard Unsworth]

Hi

Thanks all

such characterful birds - addictive trying to get that shot
so after all the welcome advice reposting as vertical, played with BG using clone and blur to tidy