I have been busy during the last couple of weeks with the redstart family and have a built a good library up of the male, female and for the first time some photos of the young. They produced three young this year and wish my temporary new 'friends' all the best on the long and no doubt difficult journey that they will be making in the near future back to Africa for the winter.
Taken with 1Dmk3 and 500mm on tripod from pop-up hide. ISO200 F7.1 -0.67EV at 1/640s.
Time to turn my attention to some of our great UK sea bird colonies now with a trip to the Farnes Islands and Bass Rock in just over a week. My shutter finger is twitching in antcipation :)
Lovely pose, BG, and head angle. Nice exposure. The perch is a little overpowering, but it doesn't bug me that much. The bird also seems a tad oversharpened, but that could just be me.
Good work above by Aidan. You did an excellent job with the sidelight. There is great detail in the blacks. Are you getting onto Bass Rock?
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Good luck Rich. Hope for a cloudy day. I went by it on a big ship: pretty spectacular. And I spent two weeds at Bonaventure last spring. Hope that all goes well.
BIRDS AS ART Blog: great info and lessons, lots of images with our legendary BAA educational Captions; we will not sell you junk. 30+ years of long lens experience/e-mail with gear questions.
BIRDS AS ART Online Store: we will not sell you junk. 35 years of long lens experience. Please e-mail with gear questions.
Check out the new SONY e-Guide and videos that I did with Patrick Sparkman here. Ten percent discount for BPN members,
Rich, I also agree that it looks a tad over sharpened. You did wonderful on exposing all the color detail in the feathers. That's quite a journey for such little birds. Always nice to see different species from across the "pond". Thanks for sharing.
Brian
Lovely pose and BG. Perch is a little big but doesn't bother me as it has nice textures to contrast with the plumage. I would burn down the brightness of it a little though. Best of luck with your trip.
I like the colours, that you have exposed very well, and lovely light on the eye. I do agree there is a slight hint of oversharpening around the neck area. I would maybe take a bit off the bottom, and a slither off the left.
Rich, this is stunning! Lovely exposure to get detail on the bird. Great light, and a super perch and BG! Composition good. No fault found in this for me.
Hi Rich, lovely capture of a underrated bird :) No one else has mentioned it so perhaps its just me, but the dark black area below the beak catches my eye but that is easily rectified. Enjoy the Farnes and I hope you bring back a head on shot of a Puffin with Sand eels in its beak which would make a good competition entry ;)