Just a Sparrow

[Don Richardson]

This is my second post and first in ETL.

Olympus E-520
Bigma
500mm
ISO 800
f6.3

[David Stephens]

Nice exposure and great subject and pose. The diagonal limb coming down from the top is extremely annoying. I don't normally clone, but I'd clone that out. Also, I like a little more space behind the tail and less in front of the bird. Still, very nice.

[Don Richardson]

Thanks Dave, I started to clone the limb out but I usually make such a mess out of cloning I didn't try it.

[Lance Peters]

Hi Don - big warm welcome to BPN - dont hesitate to jump right in a and leave comments on other peoples images - no better or faster way to improve your own skills - all we ask is that you say what it is you like or dont like about the image.
Agree with the above comments - also the LHS is a little tight with the sparrows tail nearly being clipped and it feels a little tight at the bottom.. Like how you put him low in the frame with him looking up - but the composition doesn't really work for me.
Would run some NR on the BG.

Keep em coming :)

[Dave Mills]

Hi Don, agree with Lances comments and offer you welcome...
It's important to balance a composition. Your presentation is heavily weighted to the lower left with not much interest anywhere else.It's important to leave room around your subject and not come so close to the edge.
Backrounds are important. While yours is muted the tiny twigs on the upper and lower left along with branch behind the branch on the right all become distractions.
I would also run noise reduction since it's very noticeable in the backround...

[Don Richardson]

Thanks for taking time to look and comment Lance and Dave. I'll watch the sides and bottom more closely from now on and run some kind of NR. I try my best not to PP unless I have to but noise has been mentioned quite a bit here so I'll work on that. Appreciate your thoughts.

[Lance Peters]

Thanks for taking time to look and comment Lance and Dave. I'll watch the sides and bottom more closely from now on and run some kind of NR. I try my best not to PP unless I have to but noise has been mentioned quite a bit here so I'll work on that. Appreciate your thoughts.

Hi Don - some form of PP is always required and would be expected --- I also try to get as close as possible in camera and only minor tweaks in PP - Sharpening is nearly always required and some NR maybe as well.

Have a look around in the educational resources forum for some tips on workflow.

Looking forward to seeing more :)