Marsh Wren

[Dave Leroy]

This liitle guy simply did not want to give me a side view. Taken a couple weeks ago at Brunswick Point. 50D, 500mm f/4 at f/5.6, 1/350, ISO400. A bit of cropping all around. Dave

[Colin Knight]

Side view would be better, as you mentioned. Sharpness and detail are very good!

Good DOF, and you did well with the relatively slower shutter speed!

The diagonal stick in the BG is a distraction to me.

[Ted Willcox]

I like the frontal look, very amusing. You could get rid of the diagonal stick, it would look better. Nice exposure, Nice sharpness.
Ted

[Phil Ertel]

Hi Dave, NIce image. I also like the head on look. Your exposure and sharpness both look good to me. If it were mine I would remove the diagonal stick as I personally do not think it adds to the image. An alternate crop to considered would be placing the bird in the center of the frame. Thanks for sharing.

[Fabs Forns]

Great DOF for f/4 unless it's a big crop. Well exposed and sharp and I like the eye contact. MAy take some more off the left to off center the perch and subject.

[Joe Senzatimore]

One tough bird to get a good image of. You did well with this. Love the eye contact. I'm with the others on the BG stick.

[Brad Manchas]

One of my favorite birds, for a number of reasons. I like the head on in many cases it offers a sense of expression to the subject. Nice captured in detail, color and background.

I have a differing opinion on the oof diagonal. Looking at converging lines in the image many would be more complimentary with a slightly higher crop. To the point where the diagonal and straight meet.

Look to the line of the tail, projecting it brings it to the cross of the branches, the line of the leg compliments the angle of the oof branch, the line of the head follows the branch it is perched on.

Most of of the lighter areas in the background are all leading in to the subject, the primary exception the brightest in the frame on viewers left.

If it where my image to edit I would be cropping up to the point of the branch crossing, removing/cloning the primary bright area left in the viewer right corner away and cropping (my first choice probably) or cloning the bright stalk on the left out of the image.

I often think that the more subtle components, like leading lines of an image are overlooked to "default" to the more accepted or expected manner in working an image. In most cases you want the lines to lead your eyes through an image to your subject, in this shot I am seeing the shading of the background brings my eye back to the bird, the lines of the bird and branches shows the tension within the subject.

Nice image regardless of how it might be worked, well done.

[Ed Schneider]

I love the head on look, especially because the tail is visible (and amazingly in focus!). I also don't mind the OOF branches, as this is not usually a BOAS type species;)

Well done.

Ed

[Dave Leroy]

Thanks everyone for the comments and suggestions. They are fun birds to try and get a clean shot of, and for me darn near impossible to get out in the open.
I do like the idea of cropping a bit higher and some off the left, both of which would help remove some of the bg highlights.
Dave