....The Big Woodpecker .....

[Martin Isabelle]

Close-up :D

Exif


Modèle d'appareil Canon EOS 40D
Tv (Vitesse obturateur) 1/800
Av (Priorité à l'ouverture) 5.6
Mode de mesure Mesure d'évaluation
Correction d'exposition -2/3
Sensibiltié ISO 100
Objectif EF300mm f/2.8L IS USM
Focale 300.0mm
Flash Off (éteint)





:D Merci d'avoir regardé :cool:

[Steve Leach]

Very nice close up.
I like how sharp the eye is and the catch light is nice.
I do wish the end of the beak was a bit sharper, but with such a nice close up its easy to ask for everything.
I also like the lines that the markings create as well as the angle at which the head is composed in the frame

Steve

[Randy Stout]

Martin:

A very nice male pileated. I am very fond of them, being fortunate to have them in my backyard.

The exposure is good, the eye and crest sharp.

I think it is an interesting composition, certainly striking. There is no doubt in my mind that this may have been exactly how it posed, but on first glance it seems too far rotated CW.

I do think it is slightly tight, and I would add a bit of room all the way around if you have it.

I might have tried bumping the ISO just a bit, to get more options on the exposure. It would have been nice to have just a bit more DOF to help getting the bill sharp as well as the eye.

Part of the DOF issue is because the head is turned just a bit away.

The background color is fine, but I wish the limb/tree wasn't right behind the bill. Perhaps a small step to your left would have helped.

When I first looked at the lower right hand corner, I thought there was a huge sharpening halo around the head, but since I didn't see it elsewhere, assume it must be something in the background.

Despite the comments, I really like the image, just some thoughts for the future.

Cheers

Randy

PS: Steve and I must have been typing at the same time, sorry to repeat some of his comments.

[Mike Boyce]

Great image! I love the deep rich colors, perhaps the best I've seen with this species. Normally I want more space in front of the bird, but here it is obviously a tight head portrait and works well as is.

I really need to start spending more time on this site, because I almost always miss the details those who comment before me see and comment on. Randy and Steve have provided good advise... now, how do I see all this on my own when I'm in the field shooting?

You must have much less timid Pileated Woodpeckers than I do, I can never get this close though I've tried countless times. Were you in a blind or somehow concealed, or was the bird just tolerant of your presence?