Downy Woodpecker Portrait

[denise ippolito]

Canon 40D
500mm w/ 1.4 ex.
ISO 200
1/800 sec. at f/ 5.6

[Lance Peters]

HI Denise - nice looking bird - like the HA and the eye contact.

Looks like the lighting is a bit mixed here - some of the bird in bright sunlight some in shadow, the dark diagonal line from the top left hand corner tends to accentuate this (IMHO). I thnk the general rule is always have your shadow pointing at your subject - though rules are MADE to be broken.

:)

[Glenn Romain]

Very good detail Denise , good and sharp, how close were you for this one.

[denise ippolito]

Very good detail Denise , good and sharp, how close were you for this one.

Glenn, I shot this w/ a 500 +1.4 ex . He flew onto a perch that was a little too close - so I would say very close. I love these guys I have 3 at my house- this one was shot at a state park.

[Gus Cobos]

Lady Denise,
I like the composition and capture. You do have harsh mixed lighting. Flash would have helped you here. I enhanced the image by making contrast and saturation adjustments. also lightened and sharpened the eye and opened up the black a little...see if this is a bit better... :cool:

[denise ippolito]

Gus, Thanks I hadn't noticed how dark the blacks were till you guys pointed them out -I'll fix it .What about the beak should I try and burn it

[Gus Cobos]

Yes go ahead and burn it or just clone in texture...:cool:

[Harold Davis]

denise, i know how small these guys are so you had to be close!! agree with all the above comments, the flash would have definitely helped. i do like gus's repost.

[Jackie Schuknecht]

You are try so many different things Denise, now I know you really don't sleep. I kind of like the mixed lighting. Looks like a ray of sunshine coming down on him.

[Julie Kenward]

I love these little guys as well, Denise. The only part of the lighting that really bothers me is the whites on the side of his head - they are (or very nearly are) blown. Try to tone those down and I think you'll be in better shape.

I like the changes Gus made but they have led to noise and a bit of posterization so be careful when changing up any of the colors! Whether you burn the beak or not is personal preference; I could probably go either way.

[Alfred Forns]

Lance hit the nail on the head !!! Mixed lighting !!! Difficult to do much with it At the time of making the exposure fill flash would have helped !!! ... how much of a crop?

I like the pose and bg very much Appealing image !!!

[denise ippolito]

Lance hit the nail on the head !!! Mixed lighting !!! Difficult to do much with it At the time of making the exposure fill flash would have helped !!! ... how much of a crop?

I like the pose and bg very much Appealing image !!!

Alfred- not much of a crop. I only took off enough to off -center and cut off part of bottom.