Hermit Thrush

[Geoffrey Montagu]

Thanks to my great friends Bill and Joanne Dix for introducing me not only to Assunpink Wildlife Management Area, where we photographed this Thrush, but to countless wonderful Wildlife preserves over the past several years. Thank you Bill and Joanne!

Geoffrey



D4s, Nikon 500mm +1.4 TC, 1/800s, f 6.3, ISO 800, Gitzo tripod, Wimberley Gimbal head.

Removed some distracting branches in cs6.

[gail bisson]

It is so nice to see friendships develop through birding!
I am not crazy about this one Geoffrey. The main reason is the nictitating membrane over the eye.
Do you have another image without the nictitating membrane?
I really like the curved perch and the pop of green it adds to the image.
The angle is a bit steep for my taste but I am wondering if you have a shot where he is looking at you. That always helps to reduce the impact of the angle.
looking forward to more of this little beauty,
Gail

[Geoffrey Montagu]

It is so nice to see friendships develop through birding!
I am not crazy about this one Geoffrey. The main reason is the nictitating membrane over the eye.
Do you have another image without the nictitating membrane?
I really like the curved perch and the pop of green it adds to the image.
The angle is a bit steep for my taste but I am wondering if you have a shot where he is looking at you. That always helps to reduce the impact of the angle.
looking forward to more of this little beauty,


Gail

Thanks Gail. That's not the nictitating membrane, but over worked eye work. I forgot to mention that I worked on the eye. Think I tried to pull too much detail out of an otherwise darkish lower half of eye.

We were lucky the Thrush stayed around, but mostly in the higher tree branches. This is one of only a few frames down lower in the brambles.

Geoffrey

[Karl Egressy]

Nice image Geoffrey. I would clone out all the branches except the perch of course, to make it look nice and clean.

[Geoffrey Montagu]

Thanks Karl,

I addressed the eye situation Gail pointed out in this repost.

I like the branches helping to add some depth to the image. I could also see a version without them.

Geoffrey

[Grace Scalzo]

Hello Geoffrey, Honestly, the angle of this shot is something that I just cannot get past. It's a great bird to photograph, but the connection isn't there. Having said that, I think that you will have more chances with this species and I appreciate your comments regarding friendships that come out of this crazy endeavor that we have chosen to partake in!

[Stu Bowie]

Hi Geoff, thats what this site is all about - good honest positive crits to show folk how to better themselves, and we all learn. Great advise from above, but Grace nailed the main issue, too steep and looking away.

Excellent work on the eye in your repost.

[Geoffrey Montagu]

Thanks everyone.


Geoffrey