Yellow Warbler
Yellow Warblers are difficult to get a clean shot of because they are hunting bugs in heavy brush & they move very fast. I got this relatively clean shot this about 0930.
ISO 400, F/5.6, 1/1600, +0.33 ev, 100-400@400.
About a 50% crop. I removed a horizontal branch that was touching the warbler's throat.
Andrew
Andrew I know what you mean that getting clean shots of warblers is difficult. This one got into the open and you had +.33 ev set (probably for the shadows in the bushes) and it was a little too much. I think that if you lowered the brightness on the face and chest this would be better.
Jack
Since 90% of the birds in my country inhabit brush I feel your frustration and I've yet to get a "keeper" of this species. Especially since they don't come to feeders.
Jack's comments are good, and I wonder if you could dodge out the dark spot just below the throat that looks like a shadow or something.
Stan
Hi Andrew, I completely understand what you are saying. I have chased these little ones around at Grand Tetons and also closer to home at Mono Lake. They are tough to get in the clear, but you can do it with enough persistence!
In this image, I think the bird is too small. It is suggested that small birds should be placed in a corner of an image, but when there is competition from other elements a small bird gets a little lost. I agree that you could have shot this one at a third stop lower. Yellow is a difficult color to reproduce and tends to over-saturate.
"It is an illusion that photos are made with the camera... they are made with the eye, heart, and head." - Henri Cartier Bresson
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Nice bird but agree with earlier comments that the bird should be darkened a bit and is to small in the image (can easily be fixed by a longer lens and a gym card so one is able to carry it around). I also wonder if the image wouldn't become significantly better if the OOF background in the right part of the image was removed together with the branch in the middle of the image. This would leave a blue backround behind the bird and the green on the right side would look nice (I think).
Andrew,
Do you shoot AV, TV or M. I see the 100-400 and assume it is Canon. I have chased these guys around the tops of every tree in Middle TN and fully understand your comments. When the background is busy the exposure must be nailed! Assume the histogram is clipped in the yellow channel or on the right. Given the situation not bad and a fine capture. Agree with Kerry's comments regarding moving to a corner. As you know, a 50% crop is a lot of adjustment, these little ones make it challenging. Stay at it and keep em coming.
Thanks everyone for your excellent suggestions. I did follow your suggestions re. exposure & it did improve the image. Jeff, I shot this in AV mode & yes, it is Canon—Mark IV.
Andrew
Great body I have one too. The +.33 was probably correct with the bushy background and then the sky opened things up. Thanks for the response and look forward to many more from you.
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