D2Xs, 600, ISO 500, Fill @ -2.0, f5 @ 1/320, -0.3EV.
This was taken under dark shade. Flash was used to balance the subject with the ambient light on the BG. The light on the bird from the flash was cool and the BG light was warm from the sun. I selected the BG and used a cooling filter to balance the whole image. I also used a noise filter in post production. The bird was coming to a feeder.
Very nice male pileated, with good HA,exposure,open bill,great display of foot.
Thanks for the info on the post processing.
I haven't done this for birds, but would it work to use a subtle warming gel on the flash to balance the color of the flash with the background? I am all for getting it right in the camera. Perhaps the loss in light output would make it impractical.
The only minor point I would suggest is to burn in the lower half of the trunk a bit. to reduce its impact in the image.
The woodpecker is a little "ratty", but the image looks great - open bill is a definite plus. Thanks for explaining your technique. I do kinda wish we'd see more of the tail...
Wonderful capture Alan. Very fine details all around. IMO it could use a darker BG, especially the lighter spot looking like a halo around the bird's head. Further more, a more upright head tilt might show its face better, not sure if Arthur would agree with me on this point?
Andy
Alan...wonderful image. One doesn't get to see many good woodpecker images. The green and red complement each other wonderfully.
Probably its just me...but it looks a little overflashed to me...the head esp. As you said, the situation was very challenging and if underflashed, the details in black wud not have come out.
Excellent....the pose and perch are just right, IMO. The whole image looks maybe a little bright to me, but that is just a matter of taste. Nice work on this image.
Pileated Woodpecker
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