Autumn Bluebird

[Norm Dulak]

D300 w/Nikkor 80-400mm (original) f/4.5-5.6 vr lens @ 400mm + Kenko 1.4X Teleplus Pro 300 tc, tripod mounted
ISO 800; f/7.1, 1/160 sec; MM + 1
PS CS6: Repaired a couple of leaf holes with the content aware healing tool; cloned out two distracting twigs; levels, crop and sharpen

The brilliant colors of this bluebird contrasted with the golden autumn colors of the leaves on this weeping cherry tree.

All C&C are welcome.

[Grace Scalzo]

Norm, not sure if something happened in processing or if this is a large crop, but the bird has very little detail. Maybe the main focus was on her back and the rest is falling outside your depth of field? Can't offer more until I know more.

[Norm Dulak]

Grace.

This is a relatively modest crop. Focus was on the eye. But this was a test of combining the Kenco tc with my 80-400mm lens. What this tells me is that the combination is not good. Thanks for your observation.

[Daniel Cadieux]

You certainly got a nice setting here, and the colours are very appealing. The leaves look plenty sharp, perhaps the bird moved a bit with that slow SS...

[Norm Dulak]

You certainly got a nice setting here, and the colours are very appealing. The leaves look plenty sharp, perhaps the bird moved a bit with that slow SS...

Thanks, Daniel. I think you are right, and that the lens combination is worth further consideration. I've reviewed other images of bluebirds captured at about the same time, and both the birds and the leaves are sharp. Perhaps I should have selected one of the others to post. But I liked the pose and composition of this post.

Norm