Common Yellowthroat with bug

[gail bisson]

Canon 1DX 600mmII
ISO 1000 F 8.0
1/2500
Taken at ~ 9:15AM so light was getting a bit strong but I think it is still OK.
PP: Crop to ~75% FF, usual sliders in LR5, off to CS5 for levels, cloned end of stick out and USM to JPEG
Comments and critiques always learned from and appreciated with thanks,
Gail
PS Just noticed the double catchlight. Will fix that.

[arash_hazeghi]

Beautiful perch and BG, I like the HA and the small bug he caught for breakfast. details are sharp, I am not sure about the colors they look a bit dull to my eye but overall a very nice frame.

[Geoffrey Montagu]

Wonderful image, Gail. Can be very tough to get these characters out in the open, and on such a perfect perch. The yellows of the lichen and in the BG are a nice compliment to the COYE.




Geoffrey

[Joseph Przybyla]

Lovely image, Gail. I like the color palette, perch and background. Not sure what Arash saw, unless it was the lichens but they tend to be dull colored. Thank you for sharing.

[gail bisson]

Thanks for your comments guys!
I think I will have to tease Arash about not wearing sunglasses when looking at my pics!! I don't find the colors dull at all so am glad for your comment Joe!

[arash_hazeghi]

Gail why don't you email me the RAW file so I can show you what I mean

[Bill Dix]

Love these little bandits. Beautiful pose, perch (Murphy setup?), bug, bg. Colors look great.

[Ilija Dukovski]

Nice horizontal kind of pose, love the bug too. Nicely done.

[gail bisson]

Hi Arash,
i just sent you the RAW so looking forward to your processing and what you do with it!
Bill- it was a Greg Downing set-up! He donned waders and slogged through the muddy marsh and put this branch up.
Thanks to all for your comments!
gail

[arash_hazeghi]

this is my processing, I didn't do much actually just used the correct WB. I left the branch as it was since I feel it balances the frame

[Alan Murphy]

Excellent image Gail with the bug putting it over the top. The yellows are a little too saturated in the repost IMO. Somewhere in between for me.

[Karl Egressy]

Amazing capture, Gail.
Love the bird, nice pose and great plus to have the bug in the beak.
The perch is a piece of artwork on its own. (I want one)
Arash retained the whole perch as it extend beyond the frame on the right that I really like.
As Alan put it the color rendition would be the best somewhere in between the post an repost.
Amazing work!!!

[Karen Pleasant]

Wonderful capture, Gail!

Love the perch, the bird and the bug! Although the yellows seems a bit over saturated in the repost, the colors of the perch and especially the bird's mouth seem better.

You have captured a very fine image! TFS!

[gail bisson]

Thanks Arash! I do see what you meant by the colors. I like your version and will redo with a color balance somewhere between the 2.
I am personally trying to avoid oversaturating my images. It seems to me that there is a trend to oversaturate colors and oversharpen images and I am trying to stay true to what I saw. I read somewhere that images are becoming '"a candy colored fantasia display" and I have to agree.
But with this image I agree that I could change the WB correctly.
I also like your choice of crop.
Thanks again!
Gail

[dankearl]

I like Arash's comp with a bit more branch but I prefer the color of the OP.
Very nice post card setup....

[Sidharth Kodikal]

Hi Gail,
Beautiful bird, light and details. The BG is terrific too. Agree with going between the two on the WB.
Your techs are perfect but I'll give you an 8/10 on this one :)
Something about the left side of the perch is pulling my eye away from the bird, and I wish the pose was a bit more 'relaxed'. (you've set such a high standard that I don't feel too bad nit-picking)

[William Dickson]

Lovely image. All been said above. I don't know what I like best, the bird or the perch Great work as usual Gail

Will

[Satish Ranadive]

Magnificent image, Gail.
All has been said. Love the frame with lovely composition.

Regards,
Satish.

[arash_hazeghi]

Hi Gail,

I am not a fan of oversaturated images myself, I like it closer to the original scene. I didn't saturate this file, just converted the RAW in DPP with contrast set to +1.

Best

[gail bisson]

Thanks Arash.
Here is my repost with everyone's suggestions taken into account.

[Karl Egressy]

I love your repost Gail the best. Killer image!!!!

[David Salem]

The final re-post is the one that's ready for print!! Beautiful scene and colors on this one Gail. Great job!!