Challenging exposure handled very well. Good detail throughout. Nice eye contact. Tough composition; I might add a sliver of canvas on the left and a bit more than that on the right.
Beautiful photo, but it's cropped a bit too much for me. Although the feather detail is there, it somehow looks a bit soft to me. I'd add a little more sharpening.
I agree with Doug's comment about it being a bit tight in the frame. I like that the black eye is visible in the black head. I also like the variegated BG.
Never seen one of these, Pieter, that I know of at least. I love the pose and the way it is precariously balanced on the tiny perch. Beautiful black head on this little guy. Nice shot.
Wow, wow, wow! Amazingly sharp with amazing details in the blacks. And a killer bird/great pose.
Did you have more room front and rear??? BKGR is loverly too.
In case you are not sure I love this one.
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Details look great on my monitor too! What a beautiful species...and the perching pose is very cool. I agree it is a bit tight in the frame, and I would perhaps soften the the green-to-yellow transition line in front of the bill. Otherwise a big double thumbs up from me!
Hi Pieter, great job on the exposure, especially on the blacks. Sharp, and I like the leaning pose. If anything, I would remove the small second catchlight in the eye. I havent been to Marievale since January, was this a recent shot from there, and if so, how is the place doing?
Stuart this was taken in April this year, my first visit to Marievale and I was most impressed with thestandard and upkeep, and birds were plentiful. Was back again about a month ago when I collected my 100-400 lens to test. Unfortunately the picnic area had been vandalised and benches in the hide there were missing. Still a lot going on birdwise though and a great place to photograph.
Lovely portrait of a White-winged Tern in breeding plumage. I would also suggest some more canvass to the right. I would suggest a slight burning of the whites on the shoulder of the bird.