Kinglet on Pastel

[Lyle Gruby]

I shot this while walking around a local park with fellow bird shooter and BPN'er Allen Sparks. This is the first kinglet I've seen this year, a sign that winter is here! We used audio to get this fellow to come down from a higher perch. It came down a few times and once landed in front of some fall colors with a little sky in the BG. I have also learned in the past that you might as well let the hammer down when shooting these guys because they move so fast and frequently that I can't wait on the perfect pose and HA. I cleaned up a few branches, sharpened the bird, NR to BG. All C&C welcome.

Techs:
D3S
ISO 800
700mm HH
f/6.3
1/2000

[Marc Mol]

Was this with the 1.4 tc or DX crop Lyle? Love the rainbow coloured BG, good details and just the right amount of SS.
For HH, even more impressive.
TFS

[Lyle Gruby]

Thanks Marc. It was a 500mm with 1.4tc

[Grace Scalzo]

That background is a work of art. Love the little bird with his wings up, even the head angled away doesn't bother me too much here. Bottom branch that partially obsucres tail is not optimal, but I love the lichens on the top branch.

[dankearl]

The BG is killer, I wish the bottom branch was not there, but still a very fine photo.

[Arthur Morris]

Love the Monet BKGR, the bird, and the raised wing post. Ditto Dan on the lower branch. Sharpest focus is on the feet. I am betting that you focused on the eye and then the bird jumped moving its head away from the plane of focus.... And angled slightly away from you. Thus the head is less sharp than the feet.

For the repost I ran a 50% layer of of my Nik 50-50 filter and then a contrast mask (15/65/0) on the face.

[Stu Bowie]

Hi Lyle, well timed to get the raised wings, and the colourful BG takes this a few notches. I like Artie's repost.

[Robert Kimbrell]

What a nice background, and nice exposure on the bird,

[Sandy Witvoet]

Agree that Artie's repost brings out just enough extra detail on the bird ...Love the bg... especially the right side.... the bright purple/red area on the left draws me over there a bit (those colors tend to "come foreward to the eye"), since the bird is pretty neutral. Would toning it down a tad work? Overall, absolutely wonderful capture. Congrats!

[gail bisson]

Great BG. Bummer about the second branch obscuring the tail.
I like the wings up position,
Gail

[Michael F Milligan]

That background is a gift! Nice shot.

[Andre Pretorius]

Was thinking as I looked at OP, that the head was a bit soft, Artie fixed that with RP.

Man, those colours in BG!!!

Stunning image!

[Lyle Gruby]

You're right Artie, that's exactly what happened. Your re-post looks spot-on. Thanks

[Lyle Gruby]

Thanks all, the second branch definitely isn't ideal but I felt the BG and wing position made the shot worth posting.