Fieldfare

[Jonathan Ashton]

Canon 7D Canon 500mm f4 +1.4TC ISO 400 1/1600 sec f5.6
The fieldfares are flying in flocks like outlaws, they plunder all the bushes of berries and then move on mob handed to the next venue

[Kevin Giannini]

Wow, beautiful light Jonathan. I love the pose as well as the crop. The perch adds a lot I think, especially the light on the small branches, and the color as well. Very nice!
Kevin

[Mike Landwehr]

Jonathan, very nice, soft light. I like the perch, and the eye contact, and the position of the subject in the frame. I'd consider cropping a little off the left edge to eliminate the light area to the left of the background tree, as it pulls my eyes away from the subject. You could afford to crop a little from the top and bottom if you want to maintain the same aspect ratio. I also feel that the subject could use a little more selective sharpening.

[Jamie Douglas]

I think this could have done with a stop more DOF but then I think it was a fine balance between sharpness and reducing the impact of the BG. Look sharps everywhere on the bird except the area of the breast - may have been from rapid head turn movement?

Nice work though considering the light wasn't the best.

Jamie

[Jonathan Ashton]

Thanks for the comments everyone, having photographed these birds I would definitely go for a smaller aperture. The light was variable so some were ISO 400 some 800 and I was surprised at just how fidgety they were - always on the move so a high shutter speed was essential. On reviewing my images I was equally surprised at how many were not critically sharp - they looked fine until I examined at 100% and then the keepers fell dramatically.

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Jonathan, I can appreciate and fully support how difficult & flighty these birds are, so top marks in getting this. Light is always a premium at this time of year so the combination of the two was in your favour. Personally I think the techs are fine, you just need more sharpening and or be selective to, it then comes up a treat. If it was me, I might be tempted to just move the whole crop down a fraction. If you protect the highlights & whites and bring the Levels up to around 235/240 I think it helps the image.

TFS
Steve

[Stu Bowie]

Hi Jon, lovely look back pose, and the light has fallen in the right areas. Yes to some selective sharpening over the chest area, and taking off the left wont harm the image. Moving the subject higher will work too, as Steve suggested.

Having good weather are you.

[Steve Kaluski]

Yes to some selective sharpening over the chest area,

Stu I would mainly look at the head, yes chest and wing, but not as much as the head IMHO.

BTW Stu, don't forget to pack your bucket & spade, enjoy.

[Jonathan Ashton]

Thanks Stu and Steve - tried your suggestion - excellent result!