Blackburnian Warbler + repost

Looks fine to me Julia. Might even take a landscape crop too as you have the canvas.?
Nice as is though.
JohnR

This is a lovely setting Julia, I wouldn't really consider this a high key background, just light in tone. I like the pose of the bird , the eye contact and the colors of the bird. There is noise creeping into the larger version most noticeable in the darks and the branch stem/lower flowers. Some of that may be due to the large crop. I'd work on the straight line high contrast areas of the edge of the tail and wings. Perhaps a landscape crop would be less of a crop and the noise wouldn't be as evident. I think this image is worthy of reworking. Nice work getting the warbler so out in the open.

Mia- thanks for the comment. I can do the noise reduction you mention. The reason I went vertical is because of an oof twig just to the left of this crop, and I avoid cloning whenever possible. But I will consider it here. I'm wondering what you would suggest for the "straight line high contrast areas of the edge of the tail and wings"?

What a pretty warbler. Ive never seen one but am hopeful with next yrs migration I love the head turn and eye contact. I like the perch too.

Julia,

I understand about the OOF twig to the left of this crop, that is a problem. I avoid cloning whenever possible too.

Regarding the high contrast straightline areas I mentioned: After masking the bird and other features that will be sharpned I go back and remove (subtract) the high contrast straightline areas from the sharpening mask and then sharpen. When you sharpen those areas it causes the zig zag lines and usually those areas appear sharp anyway. Then those areas look more natural.

really a beauty, Julia! nice that you had dof for the bird and the great perch. the setting here is really nice. I try to avoid cloning too but would still consider it for this because it's such a great looking bird.

Nice warbler and setting. I too would like to see this as a horizontal composition.

Excellent shot Julia, love the perch and the smooth creamy background. The warbler looks wonderful.

Ray

Nice setting and colors. Agree with the crop suggestion. Nice to see one of these! Sharon

Would have liked a vertical comp. to compliment the perch but the colors and details on this bird in breeding plumage are wonderful

He's a beauty Julia!!! Excellent detail, love that perch too. Sweet Photo

Ken Archer

Julia, lovely bird, perch and background (which I don't see as high-key either). If the lower part of the very nice perch were sharp I'd be torn about whether to go horizontal or vertical with the crop but since it isn't I'd go horizontal and clone if I had too, I think... Try Mia's little trick for the straight line, high contrast areas. It usually works!

The bg works fine in this image, for me, Julia. It's a bit bright, but not glaring and the bird is colorful enough to stand out well against it. It has a mottled appearance that gives it some nice structure. The perch is super.

Well done.

Thanks everyone for your comments. In response, I'm posting a horizontal composition. The oof twig I was unable to avoid with this comp was cloned out. Let me know how they compare in your mind's eye. - Oh and I selectively sharpened one round bird+twig then two rounds bird+twig with the lines of the wing and tail deselected. Seems to have gotten rid of most of the issues with the jagged lines that should be straight. This comp is about 55% of full frame.

I think I like the horizontal post better, but certainly wish I could have seen the larger version in this comp. Great work on the bird with fantastic detail and color.