Screaming Grackle

[Steve Canuel]

40D, 400DO + Kenko 1.4xTC, f7.1, 1/500s, ISO 400, + 1/3 EC, tripod mount, cropped all around.

[Tony Whitehead]

Love the symmetry of the eyes with the direct look. I lso like how the colours in the BG mirror the iridescence. A tighter crop is tempting but you would lose some of the balance of colours in the BG. Parts of the perch look very smooth - is it just well used or was it NR. Good job.

[Stu Bowie]

Steve, I feel the wind has helped here, as I like the ruffled look, and it gives the Grackle character. Super head on shot, and well timed to capture the open beak. I really like his necklace colour, and the BG colours compliment him nicely. Great image.

[Scott Frye]

These guys can really posture. I like seeing both eyes in a head on shots and colors on this "black bird" look really good. Nice pickup on the "V" outline of the bottom beak. Great shot of a rather common bird.

[Joe Senzatimore]

The great eye contact make this a very fine image. Great job with exposure.

[Steve Maxson]

An interesting pose, Steve and it gives one an idea of what a rival male grackle sees during an interaction. I like the patterns of iridescence - I wonder if this is at all typical (I suppose it depends on the sun angle) and whether this pattern has some signaling effect on other grackles (there's a Thesis topic for someone :) ). The background and comp are nicely done and the ruffled feathers add some interest to the image.

[Daniel Cadieux]

Steve, I feel the wind has helped here, as I like the ruffled look, and it gives the Grackle character.

Ditto!!

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the perch looks like it has a processed look to it (e.g. burn tool). I would also like a bit more room below. Otherwise what a dynamite image :-)

[Ramon M. Casares]

I like the BG a lot here, pose and atitude are great, wind helped IMO, I think light was a bit harsh but you managed to get preety good detail out those dark faethers. IMO it looks a tad oversharpened in sdome areas. Congratulations!

[Juan Carlos Vindas]

Steve.

Very nice composition here, lovely colors been displayed by this grackle. One thing that don't work for me here is the frame but that's a personal matter.

I agree about the perch, did you do some burning on it?

[Steve Canuel]

Thanks to all for the comments. Regarding the perch, it is a well weathered branch though I did do some darkening and it did "smooth" out a bit when I was making some curve adjustments on the RAW file.