Blue Jay

[Henry Domke]

I used peanuts to lure this Blue Jay closer to my camera. Even though Blue Jays are supposed to find peanuts irresistible they were being very cautious. They kept eyeballing the nuts but they they hesitated. So I waited.

It was so cold out that having on two pairs of gloves couldn't keep my fingers from going numb. But I really wanted to get this shot so I kept waiting. Finally one came in and allowed me to take this picture.

I like this but I wonder about the head position. I think it might look better if the beak was more horizontal. What do you think?

Any comments or suggestions on how to improve this would be welcome.

Canon 1DX
600 II+12.5mm extension tube
f/10
1/2,000 sec
ISO 1,600
Manual Exposure
Blind Used
Tripod
Processed with Lightrooom 5 and Photoshop CC

[keith mitchell]

Henry the head position looks just fine to me with a nice eye to set it off, might be a bit large in the frame but that does show us all the detail and of course all a matter of personal taste.
Keith.

[John Robinson]

Looks fine to me Henry - the bird is spot on.If anything I would say I find the bird a little big in the frame though. Just psonal taste. Big in frame does show the detail off though.
Cheers
John

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Henry, light looks quite bright and evocative of a cold Winters day.

The subject does look a little precarious in it's posture balancing on the log with that slight lean forward. Some very nice detail overall and perhaps adding a % Luminosity layer may just help soften some of the brighter tones, WDYT? Not having the ext tube may have given more save for the subject to breath within frame. Just watch the sharpening halo around the bill.

Look forward to more.

TFS
Steve

[Henry Domke]

....perhaps adding a % Luminosity layer may just help soften some of the brighter tones

I'm not sure what you are referring to when you say adding a "% Luminosity layer". Please explain

[adrian dancy]

Looks good to me ....it is a little large in the frame.

[Marina Scarr]

Killer pose and details on this one. Love the fact that you can see its tootsies. It's a bit tight to my eyes and a luminosity layer could help lower the brightness just a tad.

[Karl Egressy]

Actually I like the head position as is. I like the close crop as well as it gives you excellent details. Well done.

[Greg Oakley]

Super IQ and detail in this - agree with others that it is too tight in the frame

[Henry Domke]

Thanks for the feedback!
There has been almost unanimous support for the idea that the bird is too tight in the frame. I agree!
I went back in Photoshop and using Content-aware scale I enlarged the canvas a bit. Does this help?

[keith mitchell]

Henry yes I do think it does help IMHO ,bird is still a cracker that I would be very pleased with, wish we had them here, do they go down as far as Florida as I will be over there in August?

Keith.

[Henry Domke]

I would be very pleased with, wish we had them here, do they go down as far as Florida

Yes Blue Jays are in Florida. They occur year-round over most of the eastern and middle part of North America.

[keith mitchell]

Thanks for that will look forward to trying to find them.

[Daniel Cadieux]

I like the added room of the repost. Lots of nice details, and good colours. I may clone out the second smaller catchlight. To answer your question: I'm OK with the head angle as is but if you had another version with the bill pointed upwards a bit more and that I had to choose between the two I'd go for the bill pointed upwards more.

[Henry Domke]

I may clone out the second smaller catchlight

Why clone out the catchlight? It was natural (no flash). Also, do you know why it is showing up? I've seen this in some of my other pictures.

[tomroper]

Nice shot. I like the pose and the added space is nice. Glad he sat long enough. I can only get Blue Jays to sit at my peanut ring feeder. If I put out peanuts in a tray they swoop in and grab them and are gone.