Took this a couple days ago off my porch. I've been watching this juv grow up this summer, it's been a real treat. Comes to the feeder several times a day. This is a set up, my first ever, found some lichen covered branches that had fallen during the hurricane and set them up near the feeder.
I'm not usually a fan of down the barrel poses but I wanted to showcase the fabulous "antennae" she has (not sure if this is a female or male juvie--would the male have more red in the chest at this point, does anyone know?). This was also why I went with this close squarish crop, which is perhaps a 60% crop from a horizontal.
Thanks for looking. C & C greatly welcomed and appreciated. I hope you like it!
Thanks for your comments and suggestions, Cheryl and Joel. It was kind of dim light, and I was trying to be true to my memory of the scene, but I think you're right about how it might look better brighter, so I have reposted after adding a touch of Fill Light and Exp in LR3. Do you think it looks any better? I will have to try a recrop too, Joel. There is a horizontal perch, on the left side and lower down, which is where I was silently urging the cardinal to go but of course she had other ideas....
I know what you mean about hoping a bird will land in just the right place. One suggestion is to set up perches with less options for them, something less complex.
If you don't already have one, using an external flash and better beamer flash extender can really help you out in low light situations.
Hi Melissa. I've also been shooting my feeder Cardinals on lichen-covered perches courtesy of Irene; but I haven't come up with anything nearly as memorable as this one. I know what you mean about down-the-barrel shots, but it certainly worked for you here, with those great crest feathers. Repost is an improvement. Nicely done.
Juvie Cardinal
Reply With Quote
