Purple Martin With Nest Materials

[Jim Fenton]

Heavy but bright haze the coast this morning where I shot this so no nice blue background, but I stll sort of like this female in flight with nest materials.

Nikon D300, 500 AFSVR, ISO 1000, f7.1, NearUniWB preset, Center weighted with +2 EV compensation.

[Alfred Forns]

Beautiful Jim !!! That girl is carrying heavy limber !!!! Love he head position and fine detail Do like those high key images !!!! Big Congrats !!!!

[Dave Phillips]

ditto Alfred....that light is good to show non color shifting details

sometimes these high key present well with a slim border, just a thought

[Axel Hildebrandt]

Great capture, I have no idea how she held onto that piece of reed. :) The plumage looks a bit noisy, maybe a tad less sharpening. I like the frame idea and would crop a bit tighter.

[john crookes]

Hi Jim

Was this on Plum or on the south shore.

Nice details in the bird and how did she ever fit that in the house.
Agree on adding a border and also would remove the pinkish sky and go completly high key

[Jim Fenton]

This was on the north end of the island, by the lighthouse.

[Jim Fenton]

I'm not convinced that it's noisy or just food ole Nikon detail?

I shot some the other day and even at ISO 400, rather than 1000 which this was shot at, they appeared the same.

This honestly had minimal sharpening, but when I get a chance this evening, I'll have another go at it.