Brewer's Blackbird

Gallery: AvianPosted June 25, 2011105 views17 comments

When I am out shooting I am always looking for a great subject bird in great light. However, as time has gone on, I have put more and more emphasis on the BG. I find myself really working to get myself and the bird into a position against a BG that will take whatever image I am looking to create to the next level. Not always easy to do.

During my recent trip to Montana I found quite a few of these blackbirds and had several opportunities to photograph them, but I passed on many of these shots because the BG would have been poor. I finally found a Brewer's that was positioned just right to get good light, but also what I believe is a very nice 3-tone green BG that adds a lot to the image.

I would have preferred a perch other than the post, but I feel the post is weathered enough to work here and goes well with the clean comp.

Thanks so much for looking and please view the larger version for max details.

Canon 1DM4
500mm f/4 + 1.4x TC
ISO 800
1/1000s
f/7.1
Manual Exp.
Hand Held
81% of FF

Comments

17 comments

Comment posted by Alan Murphy on June 25, 2011 at 8:13 PM

Love the pose and BG in this image. Wish he was on a natural perch.

Registered on December 3, 2003, 192 Posts, 739 Comments

Comment posted by Ashley Vincent on June 25, 2011 at 10:19 PM

Great exposure control Ron, the detail is fantastic and I really like the way the eye stands out so vividly. All too often I struggle to find such clean pleasing backgrounds while out in the field searching for avian subjects, so I fully appreciate what you've been able to achieve here with this, and I particularly like three-layered effect you have going on with these tones, very nice indeed :^)

Registered on March 1, 2011, 154 Posts, 2083 Comments

Comment posted by Angela McCain on June 25, 2011 at 10:52 PM

You certainly accomplished your goal here. The green sheen on the bird is perfectly matched by the background and the yellow eye is reflected in the middle layer. Nice and sharp. Well done all around.

Registered on April 19, 2009, 367 Posts, 3589 Comments

Comment posted by Richard Ditch on June 25, 2011 at 11:34 PM

Very nice! It is always difficult to make any of the blackbirds look good, and you've done that quite well in this image. The light definitely brings out the subtleties of the plumage; the background sets it off nicely.

I like the perch as is. My tendencies often lean to strong graphic design which I think grew out of all the B&W work I did when I first started in photography in the early 1970's.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 1031 Posts, 12705 Comments

Comment posted by Hussain Nalwala on June 25, 2011 at 11:43 PM

the bird looks stunning...

Registered on April 18, 2011, 298 Posts, 339 Comments

Comment posted by Jim DeWitt on June 26, 2011 at 1:19 AM

As others have noted, the background colors emphasizes your nice work on the sheen of the bird. I find it hard to object to the post; it's where these birds perch. Fine work, Ron.

Registered on August 28, 2006, 1240 Posts, 8506 Comments

Comment posted by Ray Whitt on June 26, 2011 at 6:43 AM

The background is beautiful Ron, nice a bright in the middle behind the dark bird. The details in the dark feathers are outstanding. Nice pose, excellent shot.

Ray

Registered on May 27, 2011, 92 Posts, 2619 Comments

Comment posted by Howard Cheek on June 26, 2011 at 7:55 AM

Great details and exposure, the birds colors came through nicely Ron.
Especially nice graduated BG.

Registered on July 24, 2008, 1201 Posts, 10758 Comments

Comment posted by KC Choo on June 26, 2011 at 9:40 AM

I, too, have strived to get BG's such as this - great stuff!

Registered on November 15, 2004, 519 Posts, 8278 Comments

Comment posted by Dennis Plank on June 26, 2011 at 1:12 PM

Gorgeous bg for this bird and a beautiful job on the bird itself, Ron.

Registered on January 28, 2008, 1767 Posts, 23192 Comments

Comment posted by May Haga on June 26, 2011 at 1:59 PM

Very nice Ron. I agree that the background sets off the bird beautifully. The image shows lots of good detail in the feathers.
May

Registered on February 22, 2007, 714 Posts, 8470 Comments

Comment posted by Steve Balke on June 26, 2011 at 7:01 PM

I find it interesting that the three layer bg works so well here, Ron. If the layers were more distinct, instead of being so diffuse, I think that they would be distracting. I wonder how this bg looked to your eyes as opposed to the camera lens. Selecting some bg is easy. However, selecting a three layer one appears more difficult to me. Anyway, this one works great!

Registered on June 18, 2009, 229 Posts, 2915 Comments

Comment posted by Ron Bielefeld on June 26, 2011 at 7:14 PM

Steve, thanks for the comment. I select my BGs by looking through the viewfinder. Thus, I knew pretty much what I would get when I pulled the trigger on this shot (Well shots really, because I tend to rattle off about 10 in a row to make sure I get at least one tack sharp image out of the effort). I did my best to make sure the bird's head was in the lightest green and would stand out more. Worked out well this time.

Now, many times I just don't have time to calculate everything as the bird is moving too much, etc., but when I can, I focus on the bird and then concentrate on the BG at least for a split second to see what I think it will look like and reposition if I feel it can be improved. Sometimes I get it wrong, and sometimes it backfires and the bird leaves, but by considering the BG as often as I can I do find I get more really nice BGs in my images.

Just a bit about how I try to function out there in the field. In case it is of any interest to anybody else.

Cheers.

Registered on December 6, 2008, 360 Posts, 7132 Comments

Comment posted by Gary Gulash on June 27, 2011 at 12:31 AM

I don't mind the perch Ron, it is weathered enough and it is simple as befits a rather humble bird (still stunning in its own way). A slightly tighter crop would show off the beautiful iridescent feathers to better advantage. Love the bi-toned background you managed.

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

Comment posted by Jim Hackley on June 28, 2011 at 11:31 AM

Almost missed this one, I really like the iridescent shine that comes off this blackbird. Interesting to read about BG selection and I think this really is an important aspect to any image. Well done Ron, really enjoy your work and reading how you approach your avian photography, thanks for sharing.

Registered on September 17, 2009, 302 Posts, 5535 Comments

Comment posted by Eric Diller on June 29, 2011 at 3:44 PM

Nice exposure Ron...love it!

Registered on October 2, 2009, 69 Posts, 434 Comments

Comment posted by Mia McPherson on July 24, 2011 at 8:35 AM

Gorgeous light & exposure Ron. Funny; I don't mind the perch the bird selected, it has age, patina and character. The natural, beautiful background compliments the colors of the Brewer's well.

Registered on June 25, 2007, 491 Posts, 12566 Comments