Another Northern Flicker-Male

[ChasMcRae]

Acknowledge weakness of spread tail hitting edge of image and busy surroundings.
Always trying to get a clean bath pic but difficult for me ,and hope Alan Murphy's CD addresses this in set ups.
Anyway have not seen many woodpecker bath pics here before .
Chas.

le: Flicker_Bath_0001.jpg
File size: 183KB
Image Serial Number: 000-0001
Camera Model: Canon EOS-1D Mark II
Firmware: Adobe Photoshop CS4 Windows
Date/Time: 2006:10:13 02:349
Shutter speed: 1/400 sec
Aperture: 8
Exposure mode: Av
Flash: Off
Metering mode: Multi-segment
ISO: 400
Focal length: 600mm
Image size: 643 x 800
Rotation: none
Color space: sRGB
Color profile: sRGB IEC61966-2.1

[David Stephens]

Despite the rear view, the head pose and eye contact has great appeal to me. The exposure of the bird seems perfect to me. Regarding the BG, if you could clone out or darken that fern nearest his head it would be less distracting. The BG is kind of midtone against midtone, but the bird is well lit, so maybe darkening the background a little would make him pop a little more.

Warning, I'm a newbie here also, searching for how I might do this image a little different.

Dave

[Daniel Cadieux]

Interesting to see a flicker bathing photo...don't think I've seen any before here?. For me the main issue is the BG. If this is a set-up the various new sprouts should be physically plucked out, and the mosses seem to accumulate and keep water spray droplets hence creating many distracting highlights. I like the relaxed look-back pose. A couple of extra specks in the eye could be eliminated.

[Axel Hildebrandt]

I like the angle, sharpness and look-back pose. The fern in the BG is a bit distracting. I might try to remove it and blur the BG some more. The white on the rump looks good, but the rest of the plumage looks a bit too yellow.

[Tony Whitehead]

I like the pose and angle. I think with a bit of cropping and burning the distractions can be minimised.

[Harshad Barve]

Techs well covered here but I must say , What a species this is
TFS

[ChasMcRae]

Thanks everyone.
Tony,I like how you toned down the distractions (I should have done that) but your crop feels a little tight for how I felt when I took the pic. but it might be the best answer.

[Kiran Poonacha]

the crop sure removes the distraction, loved the eye contact and colours.. congrats..

[Glenda Simmons]

I'd be happy getting a Flicker, most any way. I've only seen one in my yard, once. I do like Tony's repost alot. It gives a real intimate feel to the portrait, and without the distracting fern, puts more of the spotlight on the handsome bird, where it should be.