Red-Breasted Sapsucker

Gallery: AvianPosted January 9, 201183 views7 comments

Every once in a while (like three times in my life) a bird appears that does not care about my presence. This was a great opportunity to photo this guy (112 shots) and try out different speeds, apertures and angles with flash on and off. It was a very rare sunny day with the sun right behind me. This photo had a 3D effect applied to it. Not sure if it is effective or not. Taken with a Nikon D300s, Nikon 300 ed-if AIS F4.5 lens, 1/800s, F8, ISO 400.

Comments

7 comments

Comment posted by Gary Gulash on January 9, 2011 at 1:53 AM

Hi Jeff. That is a pretty little sapsucker! You caught him in the open, so nice when they co-operate! Very nice colors and detail on not only the bird, but on the tree he is on. The orange sap holes are very interesting as well. Not much to improve on, perhaps a little bit off the left to have him less centered. Could you elaborate on what you mean by "3D effect applied". Thank you, Gary.

Registered on January 28, 2005, 879 Posts, 12098 Comments

Comment posted by Barbara Graham on January 9, 2011 at 6:12 AM

Jeff, wonderful detail. In the larger version the bird stands out extremely well from the background.

Registered on July 27, 2010, 1310 Posts, 5035 Comments

Comment posted by Sally King on January 9, 2011 at 8:21 AM

You have done a superb job of capturing this gorgeous bird. The light is fantastic. Nice clean view with as Gary says those interesting sap holes. Nice details and catchlight on the bird. I agree with a little bit off the left. I don't see the 3 D affect. At least I don't think I do.

Registered on December 2, 2008, 416 Posts, 4450 Comments

Comment posted by Keith A Anderson on January 9, 2011 at 10:01 AM

Super image, Jeff. I've never seen one of these birds before and and it's gorgeous. Great detail in the bird and in the perch and the colors are wonderful. Overall, the bird feels a bit tight to me as well as too centered. I'd crop some from the left and if you have any more above the bird I'd add that back in.

Registered on February 13, 2006, 166 Posts, 1818 Comments

Comment posted by Carol Hyman on January 9, 2011 at 10:21 AM

Jeff, lovely detail on the bird, and incredible colors.

I would suggest cropping from the right so the bird does not have to compete with the white on the tree bark for attention. Another solution with be to select that white and "tame" it. I do think the crop would work better because I think it would focus more attention on the bird.

Nice capture.

Carol

Registered on January 18, 2007, 597 Posts, 8062 Comments

Comment posted by richard remington on January 9, 2011 at 10:28 AM

Jeff,

My first reaction was how did you get above this guy? I love the angle and detail in the bird. This is a great capture.

Rick

Registered on March 12, 2010, 105 Posts, 368 Comments

Comment posted by Jeff Seldomridge on January 9, 2011 at 1:23 PM

Thank you all for your great feedback.

Gary, on my new version of PS CS5 Extended there is a 3D menu heading in which I chose "New 3D Postcard from Layer" just to try it out. It saturates the image moderately and I think may lighten 'out of focus' objects in the background to emphasize the 3D effect. I had to desaturate a bit.

I was walking along some RxR tracks when this RBSS scooted out from behind a tree trunk close to but lower than the elevation of the tracks. About a year ago when I first got my camera one of these RBSS landed on a tree next to my house and also did not take flight, didn't care about my presence.

I agree with many that I needed to tighten up the crop and did so right after I posted this one.

Thank you all again.

Jeff

Registered on January 7, 2010, 17 Posts, 10 Comments