Rosy-Finch

[Paul Lagasi]

On a recent stop at Sandia Crest, outside of Albuquerque, NM.....using Doug Brown's directions, I found my way and photographed, these lovely birds. I had been trying for 5 years to get one species. To get all three in one spot was precious.
This image was shot through a window, patrons were not allowed on the outside deck..in the shade, all on snow....exposure nightmare...this is one of the better ones. I know it looks like high key image but I had to boost exposure to get the bird...they were very close....this image is 90% full frame
The original is spot on focus, I am still trying to figure out what happens when I size for BPN that causes my images to look unsharp.
Thanks for looking

D300
300 Nikon 2.8 + 1.4 tc
f/4
1/800
iso-500
shutter priority
hand held
spot meter
+0.3

[Daniel Cadieux]

Hey Paul, sounds like you had (or still having?) a good time down there:). Congrats on finally getting photos of these species!! Good image consideraing the circumstances. Just wish the finch hadn't turned its' head away a bit, and there is a significant blue cast to the image.

As for your sharpness issue, its hard to tell without knowing what your resizing procedure is. Once resized do you re-sharpen your "new" image?

[Paul Lagasi]

No..I usually sharpen before resizing then post...lolol..I am back to the grind, 9 life birds and plenty of images to work on until we start getting some birds up here.

I tend to take these type of images to add to my master images file, showing the bird in profile, (just something I started doing and can't seem to get away from) 574 ABA birds, hopefully 600 this year.
Thanks Dan

[Keith Bauer]

Hi Paul: Glad you were able to find and photograph the Rosy Finches. Too bad they would not allow you out on the deck that day. It makes it much tougher trying to shoot through the glass. Hope you had a nice time at the Crest and down at the Bosque. Keith

[Paul Lagasi]

Thanks Keith..Bosque and Sandia are two places I will come to again, only regret was, we had only one day to do both...Bosque, is a photographers dream...you can always find the right light from somewhere. At dusk the birds seemed to be coming from everywhere to water. Sandia...not often these days I get 3 life birds in one spot...