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Thread: The Happiest Female Northern Cardinal Ever!

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    Super Moderator Daniel Cadieux's Avatar
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    Default The Happiest Female Northern Cardinal Ever!

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    Just look at the extreme look of joy on her face...NOT! I got lucky here with a perfectly symmetrical "down the barrel" stare, with a slightly slanted pose to add a bit more edge to her good mood....

    Canon 7DII + 500mm f/4 II + 1.4TC, manual exposure, evaluative metering, 1/200s., f/5.6, ISO 1600, natural light, handheld, slight crop from original vertical frame, minor bill clean up (via patch tool), sunflower seeds placed on the ground to lure the birds in.

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    Beautiful. I think the pose is very comical and I do like the "haze" at the underside of the bird. Such a lovely high key scene! :)

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    Avian Moderator Randy Stout's Avatar
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    Daniel;

    Happy would not have been the word that came to mind for me! I like it for that stare, great hairdo, and slight list to the starboard.

    I could see a version with a bit more texture brought out in the snow below the bird to help anchor it a bit in the frame.

    How has your weather been? It was -24 F in northern Michigan this AM. Throw in a bit of wind, and its getting pretty nippy!

    Cheers

    Randy
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    Super Moderator Daniel Cadieux's Avatar
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    Thanks Adhika!

    Randy, -24F tonight ( feels like -42F with the wind thrown in ). My car battery was dead this morning due to the cold - my wife's car's hood support rod broke while I was boosting my car (the plastic was brittle from the cold and snapped). Likely to repeat boosting activities tomorrow. That is on top of my driver's side door handle ripping right off when the door was frozen shut a couple of weeks ago. Oh, the joys of winter...sometimes I look just like this cardinal does!!

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    Avian Moderator Randy Stout's Avatar
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    Thank heavens for snowy owls and other winter benefits!

    Randy
    MY BPN ALBUMS

    "Tact is the art of making a point without making an enemy" Sir Isaac Newton

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    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
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    Hi Daniel, a very striking portrait.

    DoF can often be hard to achieve perfectly with these types of images being 'head on', but again, you have nailed it. Love the jaunty body angle, but the snow environment has brought another dimension to the scene and just isolated the subject so well, wouldn't change a thing. Nice low POV too.

    TFS
    Steve

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    She just needs a few safety pins in her ears for the full punk rocker look!

    Superb high key image with so much to like

    TFS

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    Remarkable image Daniel; a real visual treat!

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    BPN Member Bill Dix's Avatar
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    Not too sure about happy. More like a scolding grandma. But I love the hairdo. Nicely seen and executed; a unique look at Mrs. Cardinal.

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    Head ons often don't come off but this one has,! What a BG too.
    Great stuff
    JohnR

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    Superb image Daniel. I'm glad there is not a lot of snow detail since it helps give this a more airy look.

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    A real beauty with this straight look she gave you and the hairdo. Nice details in the plumage and an even lighting on the face. I can't even pull my hands out of the pockets of my coat for more than 2 seconds in this cold and you get a picture like this. Congratulations, Dan.

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    She's a beauty Daniel and love the wee tinge of orange on her breast. wonderful sharpness and pov. Maybe cloning the blackish spot LRS. enjoyed the high-key image. stay warm!

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    Excellent portrait. Rest as usual superb.

    Regards,
    Satish.

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    BPN Member William Dickson's Avatar
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    Imagine that on a large canvas. Perfect.

    Will

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