Montgomery Burns

[KurtPreston]

Canon 40D, Canon 100-400 L @ 400mm, f6.3, 1/500th, ISO 400, Partial Metering, tripod, +1/3EV. BG noise reduction, mild sharpening

[Gus Cobos]

Hi Kurt,
I like the capture...I would give him more tail space on the right side of the frame. also would adjust your blacks, increase the contrast just a tad, selective sharpen the eye, it's a bit soft and I'm seeing a color cast in the background and in portions of the bird...looking forward to your next one...:cool:

[Alfred Forns]

Good exposure Kurt !!! Difficult to capture those guys, also got a great sun angle lighting him up !! Great points by Gus ! This is one fill flash would have helped particularly with the catchlight, makes eye seem alive !! I like the intense look, seems he is up to no good !!!!

[Lance Peters]

Hi Kurt - Gus and AL ave the techs covered --- he certainly has a look about him.

Keep them coming.

[Arthur Morris]

I like the bird, the pose, the sharpness, and the EXP. The perch is too big for the bird; it blocks part of the bird's belly, part of the tail, and most of the feet. Was this at a feeder set-up?

I respectfully disagree with Alfred because when I use flash on glossy black birds I almost always do not like the results.

For the repost I darkened the pupil using Digital Eye Doctor techniques, ran an average blur color balance, and reduced the RED SAT.

[Jackie Schuknecht]

Good try Kurt, like the pose. Looking forward to more. Like the colours more in Artie's repost.

[Nonda Surratt]

Ohoo Evil Grackle, love those guys.


Like Artie's re-post too

[KurtPreston]

I like the bird, the pose, the sharpness, and the EXP. The perch is too big for the bird; it blocks part of the bird's belly, part of the tail, and most of the feet. Was this at a feeder set-up?

I respectfully disagree with Alfred because when I use flash on glossy black birds I almost always do not like the results.

For the repost I darkened the pupil using Digital Eye Doctor techniques, ran an average blur color balance, and reduced the RED SAT.

I like the repost as well. I had warmed him up a bit in post(seems a bit too much *grin*) and when I saw it on my work monitor, then I saw the color cast. Yes, this is the top of a dead tree I planted as part of a feeder setup, mostly to entice woodpeckers using suet spackled on the reverse side and top.

Thanks all :)

[Arthur Morris]

Thanks for the info Kurt. I am positive that with some diligent searching that you can find an exquisite woodpecker perch.