Common fiscal

[Alexander Koenders]

During my stay in South Africa one year ago this was one of the birds I wanted to photograpg during urley light of the morning sun. With this light the BG became like a fireplace and the whites and blacks of the bird kept a lot of detail.

Olympus E3, Zuiko ED300 F2.8, ZUiko 2.0 converter, 600mm focuslength, 1/400 sec, ISO250, F7.1, -0.3 stop

[Morkel Erasmus]

very nice BG and light! I like this bird a lot and even though I live in SA haven't had much opportunity to photograph them. I like the composition but wish the bird was turned more towards you (at least the head)
:)

[Michael Zajac]

Not crazy about the shadow on the bird. I also wish for a better HA. Nice color BG. Details look good.

[Daniel Cadieux]

Head angle is the first noticeable thing, and already mentioned (way to go guys!). I would crop away about 2/3 of the empty space below - the resulting pano-ish comp would work well. Pretty nice perch, the thorns are very cool...and the BG rocks!

[Harshad Barve]

rocking BG and lovely looking species , wish for a better HA
TFS

[Kiran Poonacha]

evn the OOF branch could go, nice looking bird, rocking BG too.. congrats..

[Melvin Grey]

Nice image, Alexander, the early light has enabled you to hold detail in both the blacks and the whites. With regard to 'body angle', surely the optimum angle on any bird is the one which gives the most information about the bird's plumage details - in this case, the details of the wing bar and back. A more full sideways on position, as seems to be required, would only show more of the plain white chest and less of the back detail. I agree there is an optimum head angle, but even this sometimes can be sacrificed if the bird has important identification markings on its nape. I suppose what I am really saying is that the angle should depend on the bird and what we are trying to show and say about the bird's characteristics, not simply conforming to a fixed formula for a bird photograph. Would other members please comment?

[Ramon M. Casares]

Very nice composition, BG, perch, species, light, and overall mood, I like it.
Congratulaitons!

[Gal Shon]

I like the overall mood of the image,
The light and the BG are superb, good sharpness.
A little too much empty space in the bottom

[Alexander Koenders]

Nice image, Alexander, the early light has enabled you to hold detail in both the blacks and the whites. With regard to 'body angle', surely the optimum angle on any bird is the one which gives the most information about the bird's plumage details - in this case, the details of the wing bar and back. A more full sideways on position, as seems to be required, would only show more of the plain white chest and less of the back detail. I agree there is an optimum head angle, but even this sometimes can be sacrificed if the bird has important identification markings on its nape. I suppose what I am really saying is that the angle should depend on the bird and what we are trying to show and say about the bird's characteristics, not simply conforming to a fixed formula for a bird photograph. Would other members please comment?

Point taken and i Agree fully.

[Daniel Cadieux]

Hi Melvin, I understand what you are saying but here is my point of view - and this is strictly artistically speaking: I fully agree that the back view is sometimes desirable, and for the same reason you explain...however, I have seen many images (and taken some myself) where there is both a backside view AND a great head angle that is at least parallel to the viewer. That would be the perfect situation, and that is what I wish Alexander would have had the opportunity to have. By no means is this image bad - I actually like it alot - but it would have been absolute killer had the bird decided to look back more. Sometimes a simple pishing sound is just enough to make that critical HA happen :-)

[Alexander Koenders]

Hi Melvin, I understand what you are saying but here is my point of view - and this is strictly artistically speaking: I fully agree that the back view is sometimes desirable, and for the same reason you explain...however, I have seen many images (and taken some myself) where there is both a backside view AND a great head angle that is at least parallel to the viewer. That would be the perfect situation, and that is what I wish Alexander would have had the opportunity to have. By no means is this image bad - I actually like it alot - but it would have been absolute killer had the bird decided to look back more. Sometimes a simple pishing sound is just enough to make that critical HA happen :-)

Belive me Daniel when I tell you that i "pishet" a lot bud it didn't result in a further headturn:D