Portrait of Ms. Pileated Woodpecker.

[Daniel Cadieux]

One of two Pileated Woodpeckers that like to hang out at the birch tree suet feeders that has been very productive lately. The other is the male, but he does not show up when I am there. Here she is actually clinging to the suet cage which is just out of sight behind the tree...hence the reason I did not move left to include more of the foot. This is a triple "split trunk" birch, with the far trunk providing the BG.

Canon 7D + 500mm f/4 II + 1.4TC, manual exposure, evaluative metering, 1/800s., f/9, ISO 800 (settings histogram checked), natural light, handheld, FF, minor bill clean up of suet residue using the patch and clone tools.

[gail bisson]

This is a beautiful portrait Daniel.
The detail in the feathers is excellent and you nailed the exposure with that 7D.
Blacks and whites are perfect. Love the scalloping in the breast feathers.
Gail

[Karl Egressy]

Nice portrait, excellent feather detail, Daniel. IQ is first class.

[Dennis Zaebst]

Very nice IQ, color, and light Daniel. I like tight portraits like this because it shows more detail in the face, eyes, and feathers. Well done!

[dankearl]

Amazing to get one this close!
Excellent details on the woodie.
I might smooth the BG just a bit.

[Joseph Przybyla]

Beautiful portrait Daniel. I know of three pairs working the marsh that I go to... now to get close.

[John Robinson]

I love head shots and this is great. I was about to suggest a closer job on the head but you would loose the woderful detail on the chest/throat
Cheers
JohnR

[Bill Dix]

Gorgeous. Love the detail and the exposure. I can't believe you can get this close; whenever I'm lucky enough to see one of these guys, he's/she's usually high up and distant. Well done.

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Daniel, like the close up approach, but I feel the IQ is not as high as pervious postings IMHO? Always like the idea of what appears to be the silver birch as a perch/prop. Do you think the small amount of foot could go, I don't think it adds much, WDYT?

TFS
Steve