Greg Basco's Front Yard

[Doug Brown]

I get House Finches in my front yard. Greg gets Emerald Toucanets. Who said life was fair!



Canon 1D Mark IV, 500mm + 1.4x, f/7.1, 1/125, ISO 640, manual exposure, fill flash, tripod

[Randy Stout]

Doug:

Guess you will just have to visit Greg more often

Lovely colors, excellent fill flash (subtle)

Nice HA, sharpness,framing.

I might consider cleaning up the twigs at extreme left lower corner, but a minor issue.

Cheers

Randy

[Matt Shetzer]

Very Nice Image. I love the vibrance of this shot.

I feel the crop is a bit too tight, and the OOF background by the beak is a bit distracting (the circle). Maybe a bit of cloning to remove the circle.

Great image !

Matt Shetzer

[arash_hazeghi]

Excellent Doug, love the details and BG, I like the crop too.

[Matthew Studebaker]

Beautiful shot Doug. Interesting perch, good pose on the bird, nice light, great detail. The Background works fine for me, not flat yet not distracting. I could see going with a looser crop but this works too IMO.

[Greg Basco]

Hi, Doug. Well, you have a Mark IV, and I don't yet so maybe life evens things out Thanks for the plug on my yard; maybe I'll start charging a photography fee

The toucanets actually left about a week after you were here (not implying any connection!). I think it's due to a bit of seasonal altitudinal migration and/or nesting season; they should be out scouting for nest holes now (often old woodpecker holes) so they're probably busy with that. I'll expect them back with chicks in a few months, certainly by the time you visit me again later this year.

I could see a slightly looser crop here but it definitely works as presented. You know that I like BGs with something going on, and I think the complementary colors in the BG work well here. In fact, this would make a great hummingbird background for a setup. I agree with Randy about the fill-flash -- nicely done!

In sum, I'm really glad you were able to get a good frame of this guy while you were here!

Cheers,
Greg Basco

[Kristin Brown]

Nicely done Doug. I like the crop myself. BG is subtle and, as Greg said, the colors are complimentary. I'll work on attracting the Toucanets to our backyard. I've done a good job getting a variety of species already so I have just one or two more to get...

[Johan Kruger]

wow awesome looking bird, Greg can I come visit :) .. wonder how long the flight is from SA very nice colors.

[Greg Basco]

Kristin, I'll sell you a couple of birds to get you started. Going price is a new 500 mm lens (not the deficient old version that Doug has though). Johan, sure, anytime. You're in for a long flight though for sure.

Cheers,
Greg

[Doug Brown]

Nicely done Doug. I like the crop myself. BG is subtle and, as Greg said, the colors are complimentary. I'll work on attracting the Toucanets to our backyard. I've done a good job getting a variety of species already so I have just one or two more to get...

You've done a great job attracting birds to our backyard! A couple of Toucanets and a Quetzal or two should fill things out nicely. We need to start putting bananas and those little avocados out, in addition to the peanuts, suet, and seed that we already do.

[Pieter de Waal]

Just love the birds you have been posting from that trip Doug. The colours and detail on this one are excellent, TFS.

[Vivaldo Damilano]

Great looking bird and would be very happy to get this in my back garden great comp and dark BG Doug, would clean up circle next to the beak but just being picky TFS

[Stu Bowie]

Hey Doug, great pose captured, and you have brought out the colours nicely. I agree, your fill flash has worked well - very subtle. Well done.

[Bill Dix]

Super bird and marvelous capture. Wonderful colors, comp, exposure and use of flash. I like the comp as presented. I thought I could just change my suet mix; you're telling me I need avocados and bananas too?

[Norm Dulak]

Hey Doug.

Another beautiful offering from you, that I would not change at all. But I must take umbrage with your disparaging House Finch comment! :eek:

While the bird you've photographed in Greg's front yard is undeniably gorgeous, so too I think is a House Finch I once photographed in my back yard, the image of which is respectfully attached! I've also posted my House Finch on this forum and would appreciate learning what everyone thinks about it!

Norm

[Doug Brown]

You've got a point Norm. House Finches can be beautiful!

[Kaustubh Deshpande]

Doug, loved this one a lot. Beautiful bird, great colors, nice flash work...great bokeh. Awesome stuff.

[James Salywoda]

Stunning Shot!!! These are such beautiful birds and you nailed it.

[Mark Young]

Beautiful image. The colours in this bird looks great!

[Kiran Poonacha]

Love it Doug Bhai, great work this.. thanks for sharing such beautiful world of birds with us..

[Kiran Poonacha]

I love your new avathar too

[subramanya_ck]

Cracker of an image Doug Bhai. Loved the bright colors of the bird

[Doug Brown]

I love your new avathar too

Someone finally noticed!

[Doug Brown]

Thank you all for taking the time to comment. Much appreciated!

[Harshad Barve]

Another killer shot Doug
TFS