Female Common Kestrel

[Angad Achappa]

Canon EOS 40D
Sigma 135-400mm handheld
AV mode, F/6.3, 1/200sec, ISO-320, EV -1.3

Didn't want to clone or remove anything in the image.

[Dave Leroy]

Very pretty looking bird and pose as well as colors. My preference would be for bird a bit further to right of photo but this is very well done as is. Perhaps a bit more sharpening round the head and eye area.

[Stu Bowie]

Angad, amazing how the colours of the bird are complimented with the BG colours. Im fine with the pose, and as Dave stated, moving him a touch more to the right would create the perfect comp. I respect you not wanting to remove anything in the image. Sometimes removing the odd distracting branch, leaf or anything else, tends to clean up a BG nicely.

[Daniel Cadieux]

Ok pose. Was it preening? Nice perch and BG. Although you didn't want to clone out anything I feel getting rid of the extra branch in lower left corner would be a good option (if you are OK with that type of work...it's not clear if you didn't want to just for this image, or at any other time). White balance seems a bit warm (too yellow overall)?

[Angad Achappa]

Thank you all, based on all the feedback im uploading a reprocessed image. Do let me know if this looks fine, also if anymore changes can be made. Advise like this is what helps us beginners learn.

[Stu Bowie]

Angad, well done on your repost. Furthermore to removing distractions on BG's, I would have also removed the branch 'coming out' from the tail. With things like that, you should also be aware that it should natural below the tail too. There would be no need to remove all of it, but to 'trim' it to look natuaral. As in the guidelines always try and remember what you have taken out and added in when introducing your image. Hope that helps.

[Ken Watkins]

Angad,

Beautiful with great pose, I agree with Stuart on removing some or all of the vegetation around the tail.

[Angad Achappa]

Thanks Stuart & Ken, will do a repost a little later with the changes as suggested. Right now my eyes are burning, need to get some rest. Thanks again.

[Angad Achappa]

Ok guys, cloned out the rest as suggested. Is this finally looking better?



Also why doesn't the image show as a thumbnail in the forum? Iv uploaded the image on Flickr and pasted the code as per the guidelines.

[Daniel Cadieux]

Great job on the cloning...and even of thinking of going between the tail feathers!

Having said this, now that I see the reworked versions I find myself preferring the OP...go figure! Sometimes it takes the experiment to find out which works best, and sometimes its the original after all I'd say go with whichever you yourself prefer...

[Ken Watkins]

Great job on the cloning...and even of thinking of going between the tail feathers!

Having said this, now that I see the reworked versions I find myself preferring the OP...go figure! Sometimes it takes the experiment to find out which works best, and sometimes its the original after all I'd say go with whichever you yourself prefer...

I agree with Daniel here on your cloning skills, looking again I am not sure which I prefer, I think that someting between your 2nd and 3rd reposts may be best, but as Daniel says it is up to you.

Cheers

Ken

[Angad Achappa]

Thanks Daniel & Ken, i think the 2nd one is what i would now prefer, i feel the 3rd image has a lot of negative space, a lot of emptiness in my opinion. But yeah, it was a fun/learning experience with the cloning.

[Marina Scarr]

lovely light and pose. I go for the version in pane 5.