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Thread: Northern Cardinal

  1. #1
    Super Moderator Daniel Cadieux's Avatar
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    Default Northern Cardinal

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    With the snow now firmly having its grip on the region and blanketing all of the groud the birds have started to congregate to feeders in larger (and more diverse) numbers. There were a few cardinals frequenty a local feeder - although quite skittish they would eventually approach when I staying still (and low) for a good period of time. They were busily feeding on the ground, but always came from this same perch. After 2-3 times it was obvious they were posing for vertical orientation images, so I flipped the camera for portraits. This one offered me a perfect look-back glance.

    P.S. As they were quickly moving from snow-covered ground to this "mid-tone" perch/BG it was pretty much imperative to photograph in manual mode.

    Canon 40D + 100-400L @ 400mm, evaluative metering, manual exposure (metered off snow, +2 stops), 1/200s., f/6.3, ISO 800, natural light (heavy overcast), handheld. Slight crop for comp (about 85% FF). Reds DESAT to bring back inline to a natural look.

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    Super Moderator arash_hazeghi's Avatar
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    Beautiful red colors, nice BG too. love the vert comp and eye contact. Perch is nice too. Another pass of NR will clean up the high ISO grain on the tail.
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  3. #3
    Axel Hildebrandt
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    I like the look-back pose, sharpness and BG. I don't think the noise is too bad. The back looks a bit sharper than the head.

  4. #4
    Guy Germain
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    Nice shot Daniel !

    Guy

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    Yet another beautiful image Daniel , lovely pose and Red's look so natural
    TFS

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    Daniel, I like the pose and sharp details in the back. I don't think the noise is very visible at all. Beautiful BG colors and the perch seems perfect.

  7. #7
    Graham Smith.
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    Very Nice Dan,
    I'm a big fan of look back poses, as I find the feathers on the back are often much more interesting.
    Perch is great, BG colour compliments nicely, and the eye is superb.
    Noise in the tail is detectable under close inspection.
    nicely done.
    ps. thanks for posting this one as an attachment :)

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    Lifetime Member Marina Scarr's Avatar
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    This pose really works. I love seeing the entire back and tail, but with the side view of the head, you are able to see all the nice detail of his goatee.

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    Beautiful, crisp details are seen in this handsome fellow. I like the diagonal angle of the perch.

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    BPN Member Bill Jobes's Avatar
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    The mid-tone background works well with the bird's tonal qualities.

    This is a very pleasing cardinal portrait!
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    This is a must see bird!
    Love the look of this guy/gal? and the clean BG. I agree with Axel about the back been more sharp than the head.

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    Great stuff bhai, loved the dof, nice details, super pose, all in all loved the image and bird...

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    Publisher Arthur Morris's Avatar
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    A beautiful study in angles including a great head angle. Technically and artistically superb. Whaddya think of the tiny twig in the ulc???
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    Super Moderator Daniel Cadieux's Avatar
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    Hey, thanks everyone.

    Juan, this is a male specimen.

    Whaddya think of the tiny twig in the ulc???
    Artie, yes I love all the angles in this image. I like the "X" formed by the bird and perch. As for the small twig in ULC, although it is small in the frame I think it plays a huge part in the comp. I was thrilled to see it there, especially how it and the main branch jot out of the frame on opposite sides of the ULC (a really cool "split anchor", if you will). I also like that it is at the same slant as the upper mandible...another play on all the angles present :).
    Last edited by Daniel Cadieux; 12-16-2009 at 05:27 AM. Reason: Added quote.

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    An extraordinary image Daniel,

    Apart from any aspect of pose or composition, I find the lighting here most remarkable. I suppose this is somehow the result of reflected snowlight? The bird appears almost translucent... As if the light were inside him!
    A stunning effect. Can you elaborate a bit on your post process with this one?

    Kenn

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    Daniel - a terrific image for all the reasons mentioned. But I will side with Artie. I find the small branch distracting. It pulls me away from the superb simplicity of the rest of the image.

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    Super Moderator Daniel Cadieux's Avatar
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    Thanks Kenn, glad you like it:). You are right about the light...the snow does play a part in it as a reflector. One of the advantages of winter feeder photography. The cardinal was perched no more than 2 feet above a clean, fresh new layer of snow. It also helps that the front of the bird is a much brighter red than the back, and having a small portion of it visible along the bottom contour surely added to the effect.

    Dan, thanks for your imput re: twig. I love it for the reasons I stated earlier and I will leave it there, but I do understand your point - its a valid one. Cheers!

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    Hey Danny! I have been working like a mad man trying to close the season out before the weather changed, so have been absent for a while from the forum. This is a sweet shot to come back to for sure. As others have mentioned, fantastic light and pose, and your own assesment of the powerful diagonals is spot on. Fantastic shot as is. The twig IMO isn't bad because it's there necessarily, the problem I feel is that it's all by itself. I wish there were more. I believe your sensing that something besides the main perch and the bird is necessary and I agree, but the solitary-ness of the twig doesn't do that enough. So what I might suggest to add more power to pull the viewer in is this. I would experiment with darkening some areas of the background with localised tonal changes in an attempt to get some dynamic action going on there. An opposition of light and dark areas would serve to extend eye movement around the comp, past the bird and perch, and provide entrance and exit points to the frame. Diagonal "oppostion of spots" would further capitalize on the diagonals also, and have the eye going to the BG, bouncing around a bit , and then back to the bird. It's this movement between the FG and BG I feel that creates a reality to the shot and lets the viewer feel that they are being pulled into the shot. You might even at the same time be able to lessen the brightness on the twig, and the top of the branch where it's a bit OOF, thereby lowering the distraction factor. That light in this shot I have to agree with you, is why I love to shoot in the winter. I have found the closer to the surface of the snow the better that light gets. Add in some high cirrus clouds and angled sun, and nothing can come close to the results any other way.

    Paul
    Last edited by paul leverington; 12-16-2009 at 09:41 AM.

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    Super Moderator Daniel Cadieux's Avatar
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    Hey Paul, thanks for taking the time with your well thought out comments and suggestions. Always appreciated. Interesting ideas too re: background. Hope you'll get more time soon to participate actively again:).

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    Quote Originally Posted by Guy Germain View Post
    Nice shot Daniel ! Guy
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dan Busby View Post
    Daniel - a terrific image for all the reasons mentioned. But I will side with Artie. I find the small branch distracting. It pulls me away from the superb simplicity of the rest of the image.
    Hey Dan, How did you know what side I was on? All that I did was ask :)

    Actually, I would have made two versions: one with it and one without.
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