Great spotted woodpecker

[Jonathan Ashton]

Taken from back garden hide
Canon EOS-1D X
Canon 500mm f4 L IS II
Tv (Shutter Speed) 1/500
Av (Aperture Value) 8.0
Exposure Compensation 0
ISO Speed 1250

[arash_hazeghi]

Excellent tipse ide view, good sharpness and details, colors look very good. I am tempted to blend in the BG area to the right of the bird where green, blue and yellow are transitioning (houses?)

TFF

[Tomasz Zawadzki]

Interesting pose, good view of the back of woodpecker and very good head angle. The background looks a bit artificial (at least it appears that there are some buildings or something made by human), i mean it looks like it was shot in the garden. Nothing wrong with that anyway, i do have a shot taken in the garden with similar background and i might post that to in near future. Overall very good job.

[Jonathan Ashton]

Thanks for the feedback, the background is entirely natural, willow tree, tree ferns and decaying natural plant matter - no buildings. I did blend a little I agree more may be better. I was in two minds about the intense looking green but it is natural so decided to leave as is.

[Daniel Cadieux]

Apart from the BG blending issue, I'm really liking this. Great look-back pose, very nice perch. Well balanced comp.

[Andreas Liedmann]

Hey Jon ....
Stunning frame , would not change a thing !!!!
TFS Andreas

[keith mitchell]

Have looked at this a few times before and must say there is not one thing I would change,smashing job.

Keith.

[Joseph Przybyla]

Can I come to your hide? Lovely image, cannot see anything not to like. Thank you for sharing, Jonathan.

[Jonathan Ashton]

Thanks for your comments everyone glad you liked it.
Jo you are welcome anytime!!

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Jon, a 'belter' of an image, love the look back pose, but agree with Arash on the BKG and your own thought about blending/addressing the dark green. Just a thought, but would the framing be better moving the frame down with less above, more below as the moss is more attractive I feel????

Now you are calibrating things on a more regular basis, have you noticed a better consistency and are you sticking to one Convertor?

TFS
Steve
Cheers from very snowy Canada.

[Jonathan Ashton]

Thanks Steve glad you liked it, you read my mind I have repositioned the perches to get a more pleasing background (you will appreciate the colours change with the seasons).
To be honest standardisation is probably more a problem with me than with equipment, I am simply too eager to post, I try to sit on the images and take a second look before posting but have to confess my mind is usually on what I can photograph next!! I am calibrating regularly and I sometimes see a slight difference afterwards.
I use DPP for about 95% and ACR for the remainder.
Hope you have some good owl shots in the bag!

[Steve Kaluski]

Sounds all good Jon and fully understand the eagerness and to think about what's next.

Out Sunday, albeit weather looks less than ideal so will see, but it's avoiding stepping on the owls that is the problem!!!!!

[Jonathan Ashton]

Sounds all good Jon and fully understand the eagerness and to think about what's next.

Out Sunday, albeit weather looks less than ideal so will see, but it's avoiding stepping on the owls that is the problem!!!!!

It's a hard life, .. I am sure you will cope

[Mike Poole]

Nice work Jon, all the little nita already covered, but I do like this unusual pose - something different from the norm. The back garden continues to work well!

Mike

[David Salem]

Fantastic frame! Hard to blend this one so I Wouldn't change a thing! Very nice