American Goldfinch

[Jim Crosswell]

This was taken in my backyard. It was a set-up. This is a crop from a vertical. All C&Cs welcome and appreciated.

Canon 40D
500mm F4
ISO 400
f/7.1
1/500s
tripod

[Bill Dix]

I like this, Jim. I've shot lots of backyard Goldfinches, but none as nice as this. I particularly like the position on the curved perch. It's easy to blow the yellows, but this looks good to me. Were it mine I might: clean up the eye a bit; try to coax some detail out of the blacks; and remove what looks like a bit of blue cast, to make the whites whiter. A little more dof might have helped, or get focus point closer to the eye, to get the top of the head sharper.

[Glenda Simmons]

A very nice pose, head angle and detail on your bird. Adding some type of flowers or greenery to your perch would add alot to your compostion. I hope you Northerners are enjoying the pretty colors and company of this pretty Goldfinch. I fed them the expensive seed all winter, fattened them up, and what thanks do I get!...They take off as soon as they get their fine mating plumage, so you can do the honors of photographing them. lol At least my Bluebirds appreciate my services, and stick around. :D

[Daniel Cadieux]

Nice pose, and awesome perch...the goldfinch placed itself at the perfect spot on it. I agree the whites on the rump and undertail coverts could go whiter. I also find the subject a wee bit big in the frame and would prefer a bit more breathing room around it )personal preference really). "Cropped from a vertical"...were these guys mostly posing in a manner that going vertical was advantageous to you? Just curious as I find it a rare occurance that I need to go to vert for goldfinches...:)

Thanks Glenda, we appreciate it!! Although they do frequent my feeders all winter up here too - I suppose the prettier ones are the ones you fed!

[Jim Crosswell]

Thanks for the comments. There was a blue cast that I tried to remove but I guess it is still in the whites. They were perching higher up initially that would be better taken vertically. After this round I went horizontal. It is too tight in the frame for me but I chose not to add canvas.

[Arthur Morris]

I like everything about this from the shape of the perch to the neat pose to the look back head angle, the sharpness, the soft light, and the sweet exposure.

[Tony Whitehead]

Super BG, pose and perch. Agree on more DOF as bill and eye seem just a touch out of critical focus and are rendering slightly soft.