Wheatear

[Jonathan Ashton]

Camera Model Canon EOS 7D
Shooting Mode Aperture-Priority AE
Tv( Shutter Speed ) 1/640
Av( Aperture Value ) 7.1
Metering Mode Evaluative Metering
Exposure Compensation 0
ISO Speed 400
Lens EF500mm f/4L IS USM +1.4x
Focal Length 700.0mm
White Balance Mode Daylight
AF Mode AI Servo AF
AF area select mode Spot AF
Picture Style Standard
Color Space Adobe RGB

This shot was taken after a lot of patient stalking and sitting on South Stack Anglesey. There were several pairs around but getting them in photogenic surroundings proved difficult, flowers were either absent or in the wrong place, I did get one with half a foot in.... but anyhow I think this is about the best I managed today.
All C & C welcome.

[wendell westfall]

Jonathan, I think it is a lovely picture; it has a "gentle" quality about it for me. I like the out-of-focus flowers in the lower left foreground moving into the in-focus flowers in front of the bird. I would like to see the the diagonal (left to right/top to bottom) broad white band blended into the greenish background.

[Stu Bowie]

Hi Jon, I like the country setting to this, with good placement of the wheatear looking diagonally into the frame. The wheatear is tack sharp, plumage shows up nicely, and I like the smooth distant OOF BG. If this were mine, I would try and eliminate a touch more of the OOF FG. You will still have room for the virtual legs.

[Randy Stout]

Jonathan:

Good comments from Wendell and Stuart. It does have a nice feel, but I would be inclined to crop up to just below the lowest right OOF flower clump, come in from the right and top to balance it out, as I think there is a bit too much negative space.

Cheers

Randy

[christopher galeski]

nice image,like the flowers and crop,good detail in the bird,like the colors.

[Jonathan Ashton]

Thank you for the feedback everyone, I agree perhaps a little tighter may be better.

[Daniel Cadieux]

Sounds like you had a good time trying to get this fella in good placement. The flowers do add a nice touch and I like them. I agree there is a bit much empty space and I too wold love the bright streak in the BG tamed or eliminated. Lovely stuff!