Dunnock (Prunella modularis)

[Jonathan Ashton]

An early morning walk in golden light rewarded me with this grab shot of a dunnock telling all the girls to listen up.

HH
Olympus : E-M1X
Lens focal length : 600 mm
Focal length in 35 mm film : 1202.0mm
Metering mode : Pattern
Shutter speed : 1/1600 sec
ISO : 1250
Exposure bias : -1.7 EV (I should have changed it!)


ACR + PSCC

[David Roach]

Love the way the perch frames this beautiful caller and the canvas hues and composition overall. Great job with the sharpening as well. So easy to over sharpen such a detailed and perfectly focused subject. TFS

ps
Who needs more pixels...

[Daniel Cadieux]

It's a beautiful image overall. Great subject on a nice perch in beautiful light. Open bill adds tons of interest. Perhaps a bit more room at right (or less at left)? I'm also wondering about the WB. It's not that bad, but thinking it may be too yellow-green? Sharpness is there, so is the appealing BG!

[Jonathan Ashton]

Thank you David, would you believe I did not apply any sharpening to the raw file in ACR at all. The web sharpening action I have for web size was also backed off. I am using a slightly different processing algorithm now. I am finding the Zuiko Pro lenses are incredibly sharp.
Dan I know exactly what you mean I did in fact make a couple of versions, this was the less yellow version, the light this particular morning was rather unusual.

[Colin Driscoll]

Beautiful smooth light and nice to see the little sprouts of spring on the twigs.
Impressive camera/lens combo!

[Jack Backs]

Very nice image. Like the framing of the branches. I would clone out the bottom branch.

[dankearl]

This is Nice!! Like the head turn and all the branches in this one...

[Steve Kaluski]

I'm also wondering about the WB. It's not that bad, but thinking it may be too yellow-green?

Hi Jon, my first impression was exactly as Dan's, plus the amount of Contrast/Clarity, as these is no real definition in colour, it just all blends into one another, and so... As Dan suggested a tweak in the WB does offer better definition and then you can take it in any direction thereafter, plus you can see the amount of sharpening applied too, so you may wish to back off slightly.

TFS
Steve

[John Mack]

Nice light on this one. Like the calling pose and that sweet background. The thorny perch is quite neat.

[Arthur Morris]

Yes to a beautiful image with a great look-back head-turn. Sharp. Yes to less on the left and more on the right.

with love, artie

[Jonathan Ashton]

Thanks for the feedback everyone much appreciated, I attach a repost taking into account your suggestions.
I am hoping to get many more opportunistic images like this during the Spring.