Wood Pigeon

[Iain Barker]

I've not had chance to post much over the summer but hoping to have a bit more time now. Here is a portrait of a Wood Pigeon taken in may garden this weekend. The original was horizontal which I cropped to vertical. All adjustments in lightroom.

Nikon D7000, 300mm f4 af + 1.4x tc. 1/1000 sec f5.6 ISO400.

All critique welcome.

[David Kenny]

looks very good to me. I like the light on the bird against the background. Very Sharp. The eye really draws me in.

-Dave

[Jon Pugmire]

The eye is nice and sharp and holds my attention with a nice head angle. I tend to agree with a few others that ideally it's good to get the sun over the shoulder so as to avoid the shadows, love the background. Might have been able to stop down for a little more DOF?

[Iain Barker]

Thanks Dave and Jon for the comments. I could have gone for more depth of field but wouldn't have wanted to drop the shutter speed lower as the shot was hand held. If I increase the iso much above 400 I find I have to do some noise reduction on the image. I do feel I should use a tripod more and that would have allowed a slower speed and smaller aperture.

[Diane Miller]

Nice light. I've never seen an eye like that -- interesting. A tripod would have helped here, allowing a smaller aperture and usually more accurate focus (although that's not a criticism here), but sometimes the time to grab one will let the subject escape.

I could see a little cropped from the bottom unless you want this particular aspect ratio, but that's just an idle thought. No problem as it is.

[Marina Scarr]

Very nice portrait you have here. Loving your background. I might rework the crop a little to remove some of the dead space on top...maybe even add a little to the left if you have it.

[keith mitchell]

Iain agree Marina re the crop, you have some fantastic detail don't think it needs anything it looks spot on, can't stop looking at that eye.

Keith.

[Iain Barker]

Thanks for the feedback on the crop. I have taken some off the top and added a little on the left with a tiny it off the bottom as well. The only thing I am unsure of is that the crop is now quite square. Do you think the new crop works?

[keith mitchell]

Iain square crop works just fine for me,looks good!

[Diane Miller]

The new crop works for me because it fits the subject nicely. My inclination would be to take even a little more off the bottom, and maybe a little less removed from the top. I would darken the bottom subtly with a gradient from the lower right, to help keep the eye in the center of the frame.

[Iain Barker]

Thanks Diane

Do you mean something like this?

[Diane Miller]

Yes, or maybe a touch less -- all subjective. But what counts is, what do you think?

[Iain Barker]

I did wonder if I had darkened it slightly too much but don't think it looks unnatural.
Thanks everyone for your comments and advice.