This image was created the same morning as my recently posted White-breasted Nuthatch image. This male Pileated let Dan Cadieux and I get fairly close to him as he searched for food.
Rebel XT, Sigma 50-500mm @ 500, ISO 400, F5.6, 1/200 sec, hand-held with Fill Flash. Cropped to about 80% of full frame.
I realise that the foot is OOF so perhaps I should have used a larger F-stop but I do like how the slate gray feathers go well with the OOF BG. I've just noticed a tiny wood chip in the air just behind the head. I may clone it out and re-post later.
Wonderful color and detail in the head Stephen and beautiful eye contact but I do find the BG a tad distracting also. Was there any cloning done on the BG or is that just the lighting coming through ? the exposure is excellent and really good detail in the blacks. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks you Axel and Judy. There has been no cloning work done on this image. The BG is an open forest of deciduous trees which had no leaves as it was still too early in the season. There wasn't any angle available which didn't offer the same BG. Perhaps I can try and use some NG and try a repost later.
Interesting crop Stephen, and a nice close-up of this beautiful male specimen. Oddly enough I think this image could work as a pano by cropping a little more than half of the empty space above...it would also serve as eliminating the brightest part of the bright area.
Male Pileated Portrait
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