This male of the species worked on this tree for a good 20 minutes or so while I was there. Enough time to line up the only tree in the background that had its dried leaves still attached. For woodpeckers I normally prefer getting a bit closer and photographing verticals (which I also did), but thought this version showing much more of the well-worked on tree was more effective as a story-telling element.
The falling snow was wreaking havoc on the AF, it just did not want o lock on to the subject, so this was manually focused, using focus-peak as visual confirmation of accurate focus.
Canon R6 + 500mm f/4 II + 1.4TC III, manual exposure, evaluative metering, 1/1250s., f/5.6, ISO 3200, handheld (lens barrel braced on the side of a tree), FF, a few of the more obstructing snow flakes removed.
Hi Dan ... a lovely and pretty subject captured , love the winter feel with the falling snow .
Colors looking nice .
Just think the tree is overwhelming the subject ... I guess matter of taste .
Lovely "habitat" image Daniel. Love the snowflakes, overall composition and detail in both the bird and tree. I'm noticing a halo around the back of the bird and a less pronounced one on the bird's belly...minor nit pic though.
Yeah, that's great. I usually go vertical for woodpeckers, but the horizontal works well because 1) it shows the massive holes in the trunk and 2) minimizes the distraction of the overhead branch.
Colors behind the bird are very nice, and snow is a really sweet capper. Detail on face is very nice. I also like that we can see the near leg/foot. Halo on back as noted by Paul. Really nice though.
I agree with Dorian's take on this. I normally would go vertical also, but like this comp quit a bit for the reasons he stated. I also love the fading snow. Nice work!
I have rarely seen a pileated picture with snow falling, so really appreciate that. Leaves are nice too. I would be tempted to crop from the left to the edge of the bark.
Kill me please. The perfect framing, the hole with the snow in the ULC, the falling snow, the o-o-f yellow leaves, the flaming red crest, and the yellow iris. A truly beautiful image. You might call it birds as art.
with love, arite
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Pileated Woodpecker On A Favorite Tree.
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