Northern Cardinal

Hi Vanessa: I see this is your first post. Welcome to NPN and thanks for sharing your image in the Avian Critique gallery. Beautiful cardinal, nice perch and soft complimentary background. I think there is too much room at the top which puts the head nearly in the middle vertically and it is in the middle horizontally. So I'd like to see more room on the left and less on top. Don't know if you have more room at the bottom, but including the rest of the green leaves would be nice.

It would help all of us to provide input if you provide your camera settings (ISO, shutter, aperture, focal length, crop) and what you might be looking for to help with solid input. You also have the option of including a 1200 px (long side) image with your original post. It's in the posting dialog box. Welcome again and we look forward to more of your images.

Thank you for your comments! I am new to serious bird photography so any tips are appreciated. Canon 1D Mark IV, Canon EF 600 f/4L IS, ISO 800, 1200mm, 0 ev, f8, 1/640

Vanessa, Welcome to NPN!
Nice first image - good pose, BG, and interesting perch.
I'd be curious as to the shooting conditions here - the perch seems set-up, as the branch doesn't seem natural with dead wood and seems perfectly placed. If indeed this was a set-up, (please forgive me if I'm wrong) the bird called in or baited, etc - all this must be disclosed, as it is not natural, un-manipulated conditions.
Looking forward to more of your images!
Sandy

My apologies.. yes this was set up in my backyard.

Welcome, Vanessa. Very nice first post. As Keith said probably some less air in the upper part would be better.
D&L

Welcome Vanessa, fantastic image to start out with. You will get great ideas on how to improve from the NPNers.

Hi Vanessa,
Welcome to NPN. You have a cracking first image here. No need to take offense at this question but is this a set up shot? The perch (wood) looks dead but you have very nice green leaves and flower buds shooting out of the top of the perch much like a set up shot. That's absolutely fine if it is but it would be excellent to let members know. If it's not a set up you have a seriously nice perch and background. The pose is terrific, the head turn is just right, and the coloration is superb. I agree with others about too much room up top and not quite enough at the bottom but with everything else you have going on with this image it's a minor nit. Superb image Vanessa.

Welcome to NPN, Vanessa, this is a beauty of a first post! love the pose and great bg, and at this small size the detail looks good. I agree with the others that compositionally there's a little too much room on top and not enough at the bottom. I'll look forward to more of your work.

Excellent first post- The quality of light on this image is awesome, and the detail is terrific, even in this small version- Maybe you could try a different composition moving the subject a bit north-west in the frame, but I like it as is- Brava, Fabio

Welcome to NPN, a wonderful cardinal shot with some excellent detail. The pose and light show some very nice feather detail and you have a very pleasing background to compliment the bird (would like to see a larger post of this to appreciate). Some good cropping suggestions have been made and if you have the room would really showcase the image better. Wonderful fist post, looking forward to seeing more.

Welcome to NPN. I like your image and the perch. Lovely colors and pose by the cardinal. Head turn and eye contact are perfect. The DOF has done a nice job of getting everything sharp. Crop from the top would be preferred. Be sure to give us your shooting parameters so we can critique and learn from your skills. Welcome again.

Gorgeous first post Vanessa, welcome to NPN! The reds look great and I like the clean background. My only suggestion is if you have more room at the bottom I would include it as the perch is lovely and take a bit off the top. I'm looking forward to seeing more of your images.