Love That Cloudy-Bright!

[Arthur Morris]

Cloudy-brights days are my very favorite for digital bird photography. They offer low contrast, no shadows, and rich color saturation and most importantly they allow me to work well off light-angle. This Ash-throated Flycatcher was photographed at Los Madrones Ranch in Travis County, TV. To see more images from the ranch and for Mike Murphy contact info, see today's blog entry at www.birdsasart-blog.com

This Ash-throated Flycatcher, the western counterpart of the Great-crested Flycatcher that breeds in the woods next to my home in central Florida, was photographed froma photo blind with the Canon 800mm f/5.6 L IS lens, the 1.4X II TC, and the EOS-1D Mark III. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1/3 stop: 1/250 sec. at f/10 set manually. Manual fill flash at 1:8 power. The bird responded to a recording of its call.

Two small branches were removed from the BKGR (including one that interesected with the bird's breast).

Don't be shy; all comments welcome.

[Dave Barnes]

Hi Arthur.
I am not mad about the OOF trees in the foreground and BG. I find them fairly distracting.
Great job on removal on branch in front of the chest.
But then what do I know?

[Randy Stout]

Artie:

I agree with Dave about the trees, esp. the big one on the left. I might be tempted to crop it more as a vertical with just a bit of the tree on the left as a framing element, or even remove it completely. An option might be to further blur and darken the left tree so it isn't so dominating in the image.

The technicals on the bird are nice, and I appreciate the subtle orange coloration on the wing and tail.

Just my .02!

Randy

[Ákos Lumnitzer]

Hey Maestro! Glad you had a good time on that ranch. Just read the blog entry.

I was typing a while ago when my connection got lost so I shall try again. I find that foreground tree competing for my attention. If I can be humbly honest with you I would dare say if I were to look at the thumbnail and not see a name I would never have thought this would be yours. I also agree that a vertical crop to eliminate that naughty thick branch would benefit the overall presentation. Your bird has a nice HA, perhaps the angle of view appears a little steep but exposure wise it's spot on. Great plumage and BG to boot. So there are many more positives for me. :)

[Arthur Morris]

Well, thanks all (so far) for commenting. As for the two trees, I love them as they frame the bird and establish habitat (ash juniper). I considered cropping the image but liked it so much as is that I left both trees in the frame. As for the steep angle, the bird was at most three feet above us and quite distant...

Heck, glanmcing up at the image I can say that I love the inclusion of the trees and would perfer this one to one with an all green BKGR.

But what the heck do I know?

Chris Dodds, who was to my right, was dead as he had the bird interesected by the larger tree. BTW, there is no foreground tree; both trees were behind the bird.

[Mike Milicia]

Great pose, excellent exposure, and love the raised crest and the
sharpness from head to tail.

I think the OOF tree on the left helps to balance the composition.
Don't think the pose and position of the bird in the frame would work
without it. But toning down the brightest areas may be an improvement.

The OOF branch on the right looks a bit funky right above the tail.

[Raul Quinones]

I got the best crop suggestion from this forum. I understand your point about bird in his environment, but also agree that the tree is to prominent... How about the alternative cropping.

Saludos, Raul

[Randy Stout]

Artie:

As I mentioned in my post, I knew that you were using the tree as a framing element, but I still think it is so strong that it detracts from, rather than compliments your bird. Because we are conditioned to start at the top left of a page when reading, and going down, the 1st thing I see is the tree on the left, and it tends to derail me from moving through the image. If it were the scale,tonality and degree of blur of the right tree, I don't think it would have such a strong effect.

You know what sells, and what works far better than I, but I am just trying to explain my feelings about the image as presented.

Randy

PS Raul posted his version while I was typing. I think it works better.

[Judy Lynn Malloch]

The composition just like a painting is a matter of personal preference. The flycatcher is in superb focus with excellent detail and pose. I have tried many times to capture these beauties but with little success so far. Personally I love this image as the bird seems to almost pop off the page. My eye is directed to the subject and the BG is a soft complimentary BG to me showing a subtle view of the environment.

[Randy Stout]

Artie:

One more variation, along the lines of my previous comments, as an option.
Same framing, just reduced the brightness and contrast of left tree.

Randy

[David Roach]

I like the framing with the branches/trunks and the environment aspect as well. I do think with this pose the bird could be centered. With that in mind, my suggested crop.

[David Thomasson]

Very nice, Artie. Some levels adjustments (mainly on the bird) -- and yet another crop alternative.



Animated gif:

[Brian Wong]

Hi Artie!

My comment is that I am seeing some noise on my screen, and that I hope you find the repost an improvement on the background.

[Mike Tracy]

I like the subject itself , his alert pose and the angle of his perch gives depth. The trees them selves don't bother me as much as I wish his tail stopped short of the one.

In regards to crops there are more then one way to skin a cat ( original huh ? ) and find the various ones submitted no better or worse then the original. I echo Judy's sentiment about composition in that regard.

[Thonnaksar NOP]

On my screen, the image looks natural (contrast, saturation and colour). That's what it should be under a nice and soft lighting.
I love very much the composition : the big tree on the left helps to balance the image with the bird. I wouldn't touch anything.

[Arthur Morris]

Thanks all for their efforts and comments. I like Raul's crop best of all but would leave a bit more tree of the tree on the left. And I like David's pop the best though it might be a bit too contrasty but definitely the right direction. The thing that I like the best about the image is the fanned tail that we present in only two of about 25 images. Interestingly enough, he sat on this perch twice for a minute or two each time.

ps to Brian: I am pretty lazy when it comes to noise... Bad, bad. And you are correct. And yes, a big improvement. What NR method did you use?

[Arthur Morris]

The OOF branch on the right looks a bit funky right above the tail.

Hey Mike. See the original. The area above the tail does look funky, just as in the ORIG. Note how washed out the image looks with the histogram pushed to the right.

[Arthur Morris]

ps: I need to get my lens pen out before Chris and I head out tomorrow morning!

[Brian Wong]

ps to Brian: I am pretty lazy when it comes to noise... Bad, bad. And you are correct. And yes, a big improvement. What NR method did you use?

Hi Artie!

Sounds like you are having a wonderful trip with some outstanding prospects! I used Neat Image for the NR. Have fun on your journey, and anxious to see more!