Setup. Nikon D700, 300mm f2.8, 1.4tc, tripod. 1/800, f7.1, ISO500. Adj. wb, exp, rec, contrast in acr. Midtone levels, sat., small S/H on birds, selective sharpening on birds, burned some bright spots in bg, CS3. This is about 70% of the original.
Setup. Nikon D700, 300mm f2.8, 1.4tc, tripod. 1/800, f7.1, ISO500. Adj. wb, exp, rec, contrast in acr. Midtone levels, sat., small S/H on birds, selective sharpening on birds, burned some bright spots in bg, CS3. This is about 70% of the original.
Always nice to get some action and captured this well. Plumage typical of our late summer birds being sort of less than smooth. The 1st year Blue Jay has his work cut out to dislodge a Redheaded Woodpecker.
I would have tried to patch or blend the "poop" on the left lower limb since there was no way to crop it out.
Is the REdhead coming to water or food source?
Hi Chas, thanks for the response. The blue jay left. This perch is an upside down root system mounted on a platform feeder. There is cracked corn, sunflower seeds and peanuts there for the birds. Although there is a birdbath very close to this I never see the redheaded woodpeckers at the water.
Jack
Nice action capture, Jack, the poses convey the tension of dispute well. Like the diagonal line to comp, dark BG makes them pop, nice job with whites. Might add a bit of canvass to lft side. Nice work!
First a suggestion on the perch: get out a saw and get rid of the section that protrudes towards us. If you like it, use it elsewhere.
Spectacular and rarely seen action nicely framed but it does not look critically sharp from here.... As you mentioned that the birds have already been selectively sharpened I am at a loss for suggestions....
BIRDS AS ART Blog: great info and lessons, lots of images with our legendary BAA educational Captions; we will not sell you junk. 30+ years of long lens experience/e-mail with gear questions.
BIRDS AS ART Online Store: we will not sell you junk. 35 years of long lens experience. Please e-mail with gear questions.
Check out the new SONY e-Guide and videos that I did with Patrick Sparkman here. Ten percent discount for BPN members,
E-mail me at samandmayasgrandpa@att.net.
Thanks for the comments. Arthur , how I wish it were critically sharp! I saw both birds approaching and I quickly focused on the perch. The bend toward the camera right below the rhw is where the focus is. The birds were just a little behind the focus and were a little soft.
Jack
Last edited by Arthur Morris; 08-16-2011 at 03:18 PM.
BIRDS AS ART Blog: great info and lessons, lots of images with our legendary BAA educational Captions; we will not sell you junk. 30+ years of long lens experience/e-mail with gear questions.
BIRDS AS ART Online Store: we will not sell you junk. 35 years of long lens experience. Please e-mail with gear questions.
Check out the new SONY e-Guide and videos that I did with Patrick Sparkman here. Ten percent discount for BPN members,
E-mail me at samandmayasgrandpa@att.net.
Great points made above. The action is great and rarely captured, but isn't quite sharp as mentioned. I think a higher shutter speed might have helped if you are willing to push the ISO.
Looking forward to more!
jack, all points made above, but I would be very happy with this shot.
The action is great, the birds are beautiful.
Well done.
Dan Kearl
great duo nice depiction
Fantastic interaction! But birds look sharp and well exposed. Congrats!
Thanks everybody.
Jack
Great action you got and both wings up a plus. I'm sorry for you that it is not super sharp cause you did get a great moment here. I'd still keep it myself.
Thanks Cheryl.
Jack