Blue Tit

[Stuart Hill]

From a setup in the back garden. These guys are busy with freshly fledged young so make great target practise.

1/160s @F7.1
iso 400

D300+sigma 500 4.5

kind regards.
Stu.

[John Chardine]

Hi Stuart- interesting setup with the dark BG. The bird really stands out nicely. I like the eye contact and close feel of the image. I'm surprised at f7.1 that the bill outside the depth of field. The flower adds a nice splash of colour but I wish it were in focus.

[Stuart Hill]

Thanks John. The bill is just on the edge of being in focus at 100% original file. I was at the edge of the 500's minimum focus limit so depth of field was down to about an inch or less even at 7.1.

Light was low so couldn't drop down any lower and won't increase iso on delicate details like the birds head as I find on my d300 quality goes fast. Maybe thats just me!

thanks again.
Stu.

[wendell westfall]

Lookin' good, though I'd try a bit of CW rotation to counter the look to me like the bird is in danger of falling -- which it obviously will not do . . .

[Kerry Perkins]

Hi Stuart, nice detail and exposure and the whites are well controlled. Just a couple of comments regarding the composition. For the straight-on shot I would prefer to see both eyes, as this gives some symmetry and minimizes the "cyclops" effect of only seeing one eye as is shown here. I head turn either away from the camera (would give a nice profile for the head) or toward the camera to reveal the other eye would help IMO. I agree with Wendell's though about the rotation and would also evict the leaves in the upper right corner to help keep the viewer's eye on the bird. Look forward to more!

[Stuart Hill]

Thanks guys, for the advice. Will try to bare this in mind next time I'm getting to excited looking down the lens.

kind regards.
Stu.