Backyard bird (A project) 7D ISO 2000

[Fabs Forns]

Most of the times we dream of far away places with exotic species and we tend to bypass and ignore the humble beauties that we see every day, and are everywhere we look. The can be beautiful too, and can be captured, as in this case, in a day of very flat light, totally cloudy, at ISOs that would make us frown.

So, we usually don't have themes in Avian, but I want to honor our common species and suggest you share a nice image of a bird that you normally don't look at because it is everywhere and almost a nuisance. It's easy to make a good image of an exotic bird. Let's train and work :) and make a common species look good!

Time: 3:31:46 PM
Model: Canon EOS 7D
Lens (mm): 500 (thanks Richard W)
ISO: 2000
Aperture: 5.6
Shutter: 1/400
hand held

[arash_hazeghi]

Very nice Fabs, perch and BG are very nice. the small green leaf at the end of the perch provides very nice contrast to the bird and BG. well done! Nice handling of high ISO and good NR! If IQ holds I would be tempted to brighten up the head a bit. TFS very nice!

[Harold Davis]

this bird looks super fantastic in the overcast light. i like that it's not flashed too. awesome detail for ISO 2000!! great job!!!!

[Morkel Erasmus]

the pose and exposure are top class, and the IQ and techs top off a great image. nothing more to add. looks like the bird knew it had to model :)

[Ilija Dukovski]

The comp is excellent with the bird pose and little leaf,
but what I like the most is the color of the bird.
Really an overlooked beauty. I like the idea of the project,
I'll try to contribute an image or two.

[Don Lacy]

really nice pose fabs and i love how you captured the blues that these guys have in their feathers.

[Arthur Morris]

Good idea and a loverly image. Love the BKGR and the tiny leaves. Agree that the head could go brighter. And the eye looks a bit funky. I do love that killer pose.

[Dave Leroy]

Lovely image Fabs and a really nice composition.
Hand held is very impressive for sharpness.

[Kaustubh Deshpande]

Fabs, is 7D high iso perf. that good? You have captured the iridescence so well here. The pose and that leaf make it a winner in my book.

[Fabs Forns]

Kaustubh, I was impressed with the IQ at that ISO, had gone to 1600 for wildlife but never for bird. If you nail the EXP and run a bit of Noiseware, no problem.
About the face, the bird is back lit and that is his natural color, darker in the face.
Maestro, the eye is as captured, didn't touch it.

Thanks, everyone and let's see them common birds!

[Stu Bowie]

Lovely pose Fabs, and I like the colours. Excellent work on the high ISO too.

[Arthur Morris]

Maestro, the eye is as captured, didn't touch it.

I figgered that. It still looks funky :)

[Keith Bauer]

Very nice bird. High ISO looks great. Overall, I agree that it seems a bit dark on the bird. Rather than trying to brighten it up with curves or levels, I applied a couple of subtle lights via render/lighting effects. I think it helps. Do you agree?

[Arthur Morris]

Good try but the colors are now way out of whack with a big purple/magenta cast to the feathers...

[Keith Bauer]

Good try but the colors are now way out of whack with a big purple/magenta cast to the feathers...

I'd be very interested to see your version of this lightened up.

[Arthur Morris]

Surely. I lightened only the facial disk and eliminated the red iris.