Canon 1D Mark III, 500mm f/4 at 1/60, f/5.6, (Program w/ flash), ISO 400. Image cropped to about 75% of original after conversion from RAW to JPG. Original was underexposed, requiring brightness increase of 2 stops in DPP. 1 Nov 2007, afternoon sun backlight.
This bird perched briefly on an elderberry branch before launching to the nearby feeder. BG is hazelnut in fall color; an OOF hazelnut flower hangs to the right of the bird. Despite the distractions in the image, but I like it anyway - good bird, warm pastel BG. I do wonder what it could have been with proper original exposure on camera. I've since "graduated" to using manual mode or AV most of the time.
Hi Craig, I am with you, the nice warm soft BG is great. The noise isnt horrible for + 2 stops. The bird itself looks great. Eye sharpness is great and the head angle perfect for me.
I think the image would be greatly improve by cropping off the top of the image with the red leave, you can use your browser window for a quick look.
Looks much cleaner with the crop off the top.
Hi, Robert, Jim & Gary,
Thank you for your kind comments. I agree that the looming red leaf blob above the bird detracts. Robert's suggested top crop cleans it up nicely. I submitted the image with the bird a bit lower in the frame because I preferred that placement (w/ a bit more breathing room above than below). For my taste it's a slight compromise either way, but I now think Robert's suggestion gives the better overall result. Because of the subtle gradations in the BG, I didn't even consider cloning the leaf out of the frame -- that would have been a mess.
I'm enjoying BPN immensely and learning more every day from your posts and comments, as well as from the photographic efforts of so many others. It's really exciting and gratifying to participate.
Craig
Last edited by Craig Markham; 03-01-2008 at 04:16 PM.
Hi Craig,
Very very nice shot, love the composition, the colors are fantastic. I like it the way it is. Yes; cropping the red leaf from the top does give it a different flair, but I fine with yours. It shows the little guy's habitat...
Big Congrats...:D
Chickadee with fall color BG
