Wood Sandpiper

[Mats Honkamaa]

Camera: Canon EOS 400D (Rebel XTi)
Lens: Canon EF 400/5.6L USM
Focal Length: 400 mm
Shutter Speed: 1/1000 sec
Aperture Value: f/5.6
ISO: 400

I really like this photo and believe it might be my best photo from my first week as a birdphotographer. :)
This was a really nice photo-opportunity and I got really close, which usually isnt very easy. Guess I should have taken a couple of photos using smaller Aperture like 8.0 or 11.0. Would it have improved the photo? Please help me improve. Thank you.

[Gus Cobos]

Nice composition, can use more head turn towards you, also looks a little soft around the eye...:eek:

[Nonda Surratt]

Looks to me like a grand start you have with bird photos! Very nice scene and bird and getting close when it isn't the norme is very exciting! Would have liked both legs maybe.;)

To me it looks like the focus was on the body, really nice detail, that put the head of the bird 'just' outside the focal plane, not much, but just enough for the eye to look not quite crisp. The 400 f5.6 is a fantastic lens, I love mine, but the DOF close up at f5.6 is pretty shallow. Options are to nail the focus right on the head leaving a bit of the back slightly oof or stopping down some, maybe f7.1? Not sure how much that would gain you since I always use that lens wide open, love the look it has.

[Alfred Forns]

Great comments !!! Fully agree with Nonda on all counts !!! and Gus is right one with the head angle.

Don't mind using that lens wide open, just focus on the eye. Can do a couple of things. One is using single shot and recomposing the other is setting the camera for rear focusing. Either way will work. btw with that lens you can use a converter if you focus manually. It is actually very sharp and will give you an effective 800 mm lens !!!

Your image looks very good for any amount of shooting time !!! I would have move left/right a little to keep the rock from merging with the body. The vertical framing looks very elegant !!! I like it a lot !!!! ...............btw if you could send me your full name I could do the update. Trying to have all members with full names or at least two initials and last name !!! Thanks !!!

[Mats Honkamaa]

Thanks for the help. I will try to sharpen up the eye-area a little bit (using a great tutorial I found here at BFN).

[Oscar Zangroniz]

Great capture, love the background and composition.