Common Grackles are among my favorite birds, sadly they need really good light to show their beauty. On this day I was observing Rusty Blackbirds at a little creek in Mississippi the Grackles gathered there from time to time to catch small fish. Well the birds only got close anough when the sun was to low already ... only the water got the sweet soft evening light ... flash alone (I didn't have any filters for it with me) didn't mix evry good with the vening light. Finally I went for the high beam of the car . I chose a long exposure for the water in the background ... most of the time the bird was moving too much but at least once I got the shot I wanted.
ISO 100 f10 1/15 sec 500mm + 1.4x EOS 50D from the car with bean bag
Welcome to BPN, Geraldo! Very nice first post. I like the idea and composition. The slow SS makes the water look painterly. The iridescence and pose of the grackle look good, too. Could you have moved a bit to your right for a better head angle? I might sharpen the bird a bit more. Keep them coming!
Well ahen the head angel was perfect the bird was moving a little and when the bird wasn't moving the head angel wasn't perfect ... no there was sadly no space were I could hide further to the right :-)
The water color and movement provide a very nice backdrop - as Axel said "painterly". Nice colors on the bird as well. Nice, creative approach to the image!
Axel already nailed the improvements, but I must add the the flowing water with that shutter speed really makes an impressive back ground. Hope you get to go back and use this same technique and hope for a better head angle. I think it would be worth it as you got quite and original looking idea with this one.
Welcome to BPN Geraldo! Interesting technique. I agree it looks like a painting...even the noise in the water looks like textured canvas. I wish for a better HA (head angle), and would fix the blown highlight above the grackle's head - clone tool (soft brush) should do it nicely.
Actually I am not so unahppy with the head angle as the bird is looking for prey and this is imho better iliustrated by looking to the water than to me or to the right ...
Last light of the day
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