Red-bellied Woodpecker
I have been a lurker here for over a year now. It is time to stop worrying if I am good enough and start posting so that I increase my skills by trial and error. Your critiques are appreciated.
This Red-bellied Woodpecker was taken in the light of the setting sun in my back yard. I am not at home so I can't tell you my camera settings for this one.
thanks,
Matt
Hi - i will help you out there...
Olympus E520
f6.3
1/640TH
400 ISO
Manual - Spot Metering
Focal length 500mm
Flash
Hi Matt - a big warm welcome to the BPN Family - no better way to learn than to jump right in - dont hesitate to comment on other peoples photo's - just say what it is you like or dont like about each one.
Nice first post - a couple of things to consider - here you have cut poor Mr woodpeckers tail off - Ouch, If you are going to include something in your image usually best to include ALL of it. So he needed to be moved up in the frame a little so that his tail also fitted in.
I dont have a lot of experience with the Olympus camera's but usually SPOT metering is not your best option - Matrix or evaluative in conjuction with exposure compensation.
You do have a good HA and good eye contact - best to get the light behind you so that you have even light on your subject with no shadows.
Looking forward to seeing more :)
thanks
Nice, thanks. I didn't think the exif info was still attached to the pic. I don't have a exif viewer at work. This looks like it was shot with the Bigma which I just sold.Originally Posted by Lance Peters
HA?
Lance,
Thanks for the response and tips. I did wonder if I should have included the tail since it was going behind the tree. What is the "HA" you refer to? I am sure I know what you mean but the abbreviation or acronym is throwing me off.
regards,
Matt
Matt, handsome first post. I wish I had this one in my files. This is the place to be for a lot of excellent and gentle advice from the experts. Lance's comments are noted. In addition, my non-expert opinion would be to crop a bit off the right, and add a slivver of canvas to the left if you have it.
HA = head angle. lance summed it up nicely for me!! great first post and nothing like jumping right in! do comment on others posts. you will actually learn more that way. it doesnt seem right, but i think it is!
i love the light and the HA:)
Hi Matt,
A big warm welcome to the BPN family. I like your first post...Mr. Peters hit the techs. right on the nose, followed by some sound advise. If it were mine, I would consider cropping about 1/4 from the right side of the frame and adding the same proportion to the left side of the frame, also selective sharpen the eye just a tad...looking very good, looking forward to your next one...:cool:
Thanks Bill. I see what you mean about cropping and adding more to the left. I have to see if I can find the orginal in Lightroom and try again. I have been having issues with my backups.
Welcome to BPN.
Love the vertical pose, the HA, the eye contact with nice catch light, also like the color and feel from the setting sun. Agree with all suggestion given above. About cropping more from the right side, in this case your perch is too big and it draws attention away from the subject.
Thanks everyone for all in help. I believe with much work and your help I should start to improve this year. I look forward to seeing all of your wonderful work as well. It is very inspirational and great to have a place to share our love of birds and wildlife.
Hi Matt Great Big Welcome !!!
Excellent suggestions above Fully agree !! Regarding the tail we consider "virtual" tail/feet etc If its hidden behind a tree, under water etc do include !!! Makes the image look better Looking forward to the next one !!!
Hi and welcome, I too lurked for a long time wondering if I was adequate to post, as there are some really....well, you know.
The thing is, if you actually take the plunge and post what you think are your best or most improvable shots, then you get all kinds of suggestions and advice then your photography and post processing capability really improves. You start to learn the best way, actively, as you learn to see your own work differently. You learn not in references to some else's shots but your own particular vision of things. There is nothing quite like looking again at the image you think might be good and learning how to make it better.
Such a nice place to learn it all, too.
And now for my comments, I just love the bright red eye, against the red head plumage, its really sharp and bright and beautifully angled. Is it possible to just make a head shot of it? Is it clear enough in close up? Please correct me if I am wrong.
kat enns
Kat Enns
Castlegar, BC
Welcome - Rule for this type of shot is :
1/3 for the tree, 1/3 for the bird and 1/3 for the sky on a vertical format.
Agree with Lance, not the best image for spot, notice how image has a mid-tone feel to it, but spot will work. Nice first post much better than mine, looking forward to more. Please include metering mode and pattern.
I love this species, great shot of the belly and nice head angle, sharp eye.
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