Prothonotary Warbler - male

[Ed Schneider]

Is the birds right eye too distracting? Thanks in advance, my second post...

D300, 500mm, 1/320th @ f/4, ISO 250, no flash

[Daniel Cadieux]

The right is not distracting, I like the fact that we see it. I do find the comp a bit tight, and I would tone down the darker area at left. There seems to be a lot of noise for ISO 250...is this a large crop?

[Ilija Dukovski]

Very nice to see this species here, I love the bird, the yellow is great,
sharp eye, appropriate perch, clean and pleasing BG. I would clone away
the ULH corner and bring it to tone with the rest of the BG.
A vertical crop might be good here too.
The Head Angle is not the perfect one and the right eye is a bit distracting,
but I still like this image.

[Ed Schneider]

Thanks, guys. Still learning, I may have over sharpened (before and after resizing) by accident, thus the noise.

[Axel Hildebrandt]

Great find, this is a species I still have to see. Adding to the other comments, could you have moved to your right for better head/perch separation? I could also see this as a vertical crop and find the brown part in the upper left a bit distracting. Another vote for NR in the BG. Keep them coming!

[Stu Bowie]

Super eye contact, and well exposed on the yellows. I would make this a vertical crop - it would sort out the darker area of the BG on the LHS. I agree to run some more NR.

[Ed Schneider]

Here's another crop. I need to figure out NR in Elements 6

[Axel Hildebrandt]

I like the vertical crop and might give it a bit more room top and bottom, just a personal preference. I'm not familiar with Elements 6 but I assume there is a 'noise' tool under filters. If not, using despeckle or blur on the BG can work, too. Just make sure there is a pixel or 2 between the bird and perch and your selection to avoid artifacts. In your repost the BG doesn't look so bad, BTW.

[Arthur Morris]

I like the COMP of the ORIG post best :) and as you know I love the o-of tree (and knew that others would suggest eliminating it). A bit more head turn away would have been great. Nice chatting with you yesterday. I think that you broke, heck--shattered--the time record for a 20-image critque!

[Ed Schneider]

Axel- I just got Digital Basics, and have some serious time to put in, old (bad) habits to break, etc. Thanks for stopping back in.

Artie-tks again for yesterday. This was actually another image from the same day, using your crop suggestions. I'll have to dig up another without the "peek-a-boo" eye!

[Arthur Morris]

Hey Ed, YAW. I thought that the one you showed me yesterday had a better HA.... I expect a perfect Henslow's from you next spring on a perfect perch...

When are the Kentuckys in your yard singing??? I just might stop by next spring.