During the last couple days, we have had swarms of redpoles and pine siskins coming to our backyard feeder. Although I have many images on more natural perches, my best sequence featuring a male was on this metal hook that holds up a feeder. All comments welcome.
Taken from a blind.
1/800s
f/8
ISO 800
Sigma 120-300 + 2x TC @ 600mm
Nikon D300
Great find, always a treat to see redpolls. I like the angle and pose but would prefer a natural perch. I would sharpen the bird more, put him further left in the frame and run NR on the BG.
Nice soft light, looks like a flash highlight in the eye so I assume you used some fill. Agree re more sharpening - plane of focus seem on perch and wings so face is soft. I find it useful on the D300 to select a focus point that sits on the eye when the image is composed as I want and just keep it on continuous AF. Steel perch not ideal but I think toning down the refelection on it it would make it less obtrusive.
Agree with all above. Good news is that once redpolls find a good food source they keep coming back for the winter months, and gradually in larger numbers too. Keep the niger feeder full, and place some beautiful perches close-by for them to perch on.
Joel I agree with Tony about the focal plane placed on thye perch instead of the face. I echoe Axel´s suggestion about noise reduction in the BG. Try to get the birds used to more natural perch in your feeder and I am sure that you will have a lot of fun photographing these beauties :-)
Male common redpoll
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