Redstart Among Blooms

[Melissa Groo]

Canon 1D4
500mm
Gitzo/Wimberley

ISO 800
f/4.5
1/1600 sec

From my workshop with Matthew Studebaker in western NY's Allegany State Park a couple weeks ago.
I did a blend of two exposures on this, as I wanted to bring the exposure of the blooms down a bit while also keeping some light in the bird and BG.
About a 25% crop, some sharpening.
Thank you kindly in advance for any comments and critiques.

[Juan Carlos Vindas]

Nice singing pose, light, BG and inclusion of habitat.

[Don Nelson]

Very nice. If this were mine, I'd take a tiny slice off the top to put the bird at the 1/3 point horiz and vertical.
Since you've merged two images in a stack, its too bad you didn't also make a couple of images with the other blooms in focus (and similarly stack these with masks). Just an idea for next time.
Did you by any chance do a trip report on this class on a blog or somesuch? I'd be interested to hear more about Mathew's classes; we hear a lot about some of the others but Mathew is under represented.
Were calls used to bring it onto the setup?
Don

[Jonathan Ashton]

I like the image very much and also the inclusion of the blossom. i would however consider a crop, as you scroll the image down you can see the effect of excluding area containing the central two blooms, I think this helps.

[gail bisson]

This is very nice.
Lovely singing pose and light. I like the angle of the bird.
I have no idea how to merge two images and will have to learn!
The apple blossom perch is lovely, maybe a bit heavy on the bottom ( ? consider cloning out the entire slightly OOF flower on mid bottom). I would crop off the top and left a sliver.
Still, a really pretty shot and wish it was mine,
Gail

[Jim Crosswell]

I like the setting, singing pose, blossoms and BG. Well done Melissa!

[Marina Scarr]

Lovely capture, Melissa, with so many pleasing elements. I think I would recrop like this. I also added a tad more sharpening to the bird. I feel this version, albeit only slightly different, better showcases the bird. Wonderful calling pose BTW.

[Daniel Cadieux]

If you are going to get the bird small in the frame this is the way to do it!! I love the original crop abd feel it is nicely balanced (Marina's is good too, as is her sharpening). Very appealing image, I love it!

[Matthew Studebaker]

wonderfully processed Melissa!! PERFECT job on those whites. I love the bird small in the frame - it still maintains hierarchy in the image here but also allows for a large print and a better sense of place. I could see cropping some of the out of focus hawthorne clusters or leaving it as-is . . . either way.

[Jack Breakfast]

i think this is very lovely indeed! Huzzahs and Hosannas all around!

[Melissa Groo]

Thanks all for your comments. I should have taken another shot of the lower blooms in focus, I realize now. I think Matthew even suggested that to us but I was probably not taking it in due to my "buck fever."
Don, yes, calls were used. And I do not have a trip report or anything like that. I do know Matthew sends out a newsletter and talks about his workshops a bit within those, you can sign up for them at http://www.studebakerbirds.com/articles.html.I
I highly recommend his workshops, he really knows how to find the birds, and how to artfully arrange set ups. He is patient, careful, and exacting. And a great guy to boot.

[Dumay de Boulle]

Love the image design. Great BG and love the incl of the flowers. Lovely image!

[Bill Dix]

Lovely shot, Melissa. Colorful Redstart really holds his own even when small in the frame. That said, I might also be tempted to crop a little tighter to reduce the impact of the oof blossoms. Marina's extra sharpening helps. But in any event, a file image.

[Morkel Erasmus]

Pure eye candy Melissa. I love your OP and Marina's repost.
Great job on the double exposure.

[jack williamson]

I love this shot Melissa. I like both crops and more sharpeneing for sure.

Jack