Daurian redstart

[Craig Brelsford]

A female Daurian redstart launches herself from a post at Binjiang Park in Shanghai yesterday. Shooting passerines in flight requires persistence. First, I had to find the bird; next, I waited for the redstart to find a photogenic launch pad; then I positioned myself at the proper distance and angle. For this shot, I got to 15 m, which with my 600 mm lens is about the optimal distance for small, fast-flying passerines. (Farther back, and the bird is too small; closer, and the bird tends to fly behind the focal plane and not across it.) Phoenicurus auroreus is the standard redstart of eastern China; in winter, it’s common throughout Shanghai. I crave your feedback.

Device: Nikon D3S
Lens: VR 600mm F/4G
Focal Length: 600mm
Aperture: F/5
Shutter Speed: 1/4000
Exposure Mode: Aperture Priority
Exposure Comp.: +0.33
ISO Sensitivity: ISO 2500
Subject Distance: 15.0 m
Photoshoppery: Magnifying the image to 1600% and even 3200% in Photoshop, I carefully lassoed the bird and post and sharpened them. I then did an inverse selection to capture the BG and noise-reduced it. That's it; it was a pretty clean image. This shot is exactly 25% of full frame.

[Katie Rupp]

Craig, I love the caught-in-mid-launch pose! And I appreciate that you gave us the information about the Redstart as well as sharing your strategy for capturing this image. While the blurring/noise-reduction is effective, I wish the other posts in the background were not there.
Again, thanks for sharing.

Cheers,
Katie

[Daniel Cadieux]

I too appreciate the image and species details you offer. Excellent timing, I love the pose and curved foot still on the perch. You posted in RGB so for many of us the image may not look as good as what you intend for us to see...but as is I think it could use a bit more punch via contrast and saturation.

[Craig Brelsford]

Hi Daniel, thanks for the critique. What does posting in RGB mean?

[Craig Brelsford]

. . . I wish the other posts in the background were not there.

Hi Katie, and thanks for your insights. What would you like me to do? I can't clone out the posts in the BG; it'd be too great an interference; I'd feel like Christopher Reeve in Superman I, making the earth spin backward so that he could reach into the past and save Lois Lane.

[Daniel Cadieux]

Hi Daniel, thanks for the critique. What does posting in RGB mean?

That is the colour profile the image was at when you posted. It's always best to convert to sRGB for web posts as many people are using un-colour managed web browers (such as IE). Posting in RGB often gives duller results than intended for those people so your image is not looking its best...

[Craig Brelsford]

That is the colour profile the image was at when you posted. It's always best to convert to sRGB for web posts as many people are using un-colour managed web browers (such as IE). Posting in RGB often gives duller results than intended for those people so your image is not looking its best...

Wow, Daniel, I never knew. Something to pay attention to. Thanks.

[Katie Rupp]

Hi Katie, and thanks for your insights. What would you like me to do? I can't clone out the posts in the BG; it'd be too great an interference; I'd feel like Christopher Reeve in Superman I, making the earth spin backward so that he could reach into the past and save Lois Lane.

Too funny and if only...I understand and I've been there too, as many a time I've wished for a different background.