The noble predator after the kill....

[Diane Miller]

Another blackberry succumbs to Nature.

I shot this a week or so ago and didn't think I had gotten much of interest, but as I was doing some needed deleting I appreciated the noble look and decided to toss it out here, rather than tossing it out into the trash bin.

Canon 5D3, 600mm II, ISO 1600, 1/500 sec, f/14. Soft light from clearing fog, which kept changing and wasn't optimal for long. Big Gitzo, Wimberley II. Chair and coffee.

I'm guessing it's a juvenile male, just starting to grow the red breast feathers? I thought their color fit nicely with the remains of the meal.

Very minor tonal adjustments in LR5, and a quick trip to PS for NR on the BG and slight sharpening on the bird.

[Don Railton]

Hi Diane,

I like the head turn, the Blackberry 'gore' on the beak, the nice BG and the coffee and chair reference. That's my sort of shoot! Details look good. F14 seems a bit unusual, I would have traded that for a little more speed but maybe you had your reasons..?

DON

[Sanjeev Aurangabadkar]

Superb detail and cool pose with the 'gore' on beak and feathers as a plus. TFS.

[Diane Miller]

Thanks, guys! If the birds fill the frame, I want all the DOF I can get. The 300 focuses close enough I can get the birds pretty big by adding the 2X. I did neglect to say this was a horizontal cropped to vertical, with a little off the top. So I could have gone a little more open here, but I was also ready for action on a closer perch, where they would be bigger. With IS and the Wimberley, I'm usually safe at 1/400 to 1/500, if the bird doesn't twitch. Or I don't.

[keith mitchell]

Interesting reading of your use of DOF,I really like your finished result Diane, smart neat bird with great detail sitting on a nice backdrop.

Cheers Keith.

[Sharon Hallowell]

Sucked me right in with that title! Excellent pose and details, despite drinking coffee!
Sharon

[Grace Scalzo]

This could have been a very bland image but the details tie it all together. My eye kept going from the beak to the red feathers. I feel as if I am looking slightly upward toward the eye, could you move that stick down a touch in your set up? Well done, Diane.

[Bill Dix]

Glad you kept it, Diane. Lovely light, great detail, and a background to die for. Good title too. Could add back just a slivver on top?

[Arthur Morris]

Nice pose. T.red on the sides of the breast might be berry juice stains. Or not :)

[Joseph Przybyla]

Nice image Dianne. I like the pose and curved perch. The berry juices on the bill are an added plus that tell a story. Nice colors and detail with a perfect complimenting background.

[Dumay de Boulle]

Lovely IQ, great perch and BG, I like the left overs on the beak... I would only suggest more space on top and bottom if you have it.

[David Salem]

Nice detailed shot of this bird. I like the pose and the BG and the techs look great too. A bit big in the frame but the only way shots like this work is with killer details like this. Nice work,

[Binu John]

Excellent shot, Diane! Love the pose, details and BG! Excellent IQ as usual! TFS

[shane shacaluga]

The details on the subject are killer. The red on the beak make this gorey in a nice kind of way. Good composition and great BG

TFS

[Carl Walker]

Superb detail with a lovely background Diane. TFS