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WC 604 - Mourning Dove
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WC 604 - Mourning Dove

by Richard Ditch

Gallery: Weekly ChallengePosted September 29, 2013107 views4 comments
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)

Place: Phoenix, AZ
Date: April 28, 2013, 5:26 pm
Equipment: Nikon D300, Nikkor AF-S 300/2.8, TC14E(1.4x), G1325, RRS BH-55, Sidekick
Exposure: ISO 800, Aperture priority matrix metered, 1/100th @ f5.6
Raw, PS CS3 on Mac, 79% of full frame

A young Mourning Dove taking a drink from the water feature just off our patio, taken through the glass patio door which can cost a little sharpness and contrast. I posted a companion shot in Avian in May.

Honest critiques requested; all comments appreciated. Larger image provided for judging image quality.

Comments

4 comments
Comment posted by Carolyn Derstine on September 30, 2013 at 3:23 PM
Great capture of this gentle bird getting a drink. Sure looks sharp and the contrast looks good to me! :smile: I like the way the lighting hits the bird and the green plant in the top left corner. (However, the plant maybe could be darkened just a bit so it doesn't pull attention from the bird.) My only other thought was a slight crop of the rock on the right. I really like this shot, Richard, especially the sharp details and pose of the head. Nice touch to have his beak in the water with some ripples spreading from the beak entry point.
Registered on February 16, 2011, 610 Posts, 3684 Comments
Comment posted by Jim Gavin on September 30, 2013 at 7:33 PM
Did the glass door reflect onto the dove a bit? It appears there is both back and front lighting. I really like that aspect of the photo.
I agree with Carolyn's comments but am not as drawn to the green foliage in the upper left as she. The top of the rock on the right could be cropped so there is no top showing. It would then be as tight as the companion shot you posted in May which I think is excellent.
Registered on August 14, 2008, 293 Posts, 1250 Comments
Comment posted by Richard Ditch on September 30, 2013 at 8:03 PM
Carolyn: The green vegetation in the top left is always a problem when I shoot birds (and squirrels and rabbits) at this water feature, and this already has a lot of darkening from burning and/or multiply layers. Going further makes it look too unnatural to my eye.

Jim: the sliding glass door is recessed about 5 feet and is mostly in shade when I shoot - if direct light was hitting the glass the coating of dust would really flare and make the shot impossible. But there is a lower level of water that could be reflecting back towards the dove, as well as more green stuff just off to the right of the imag frame.
Registered on November 1, 2003, 1031 Posts, 12705 Comments
Comment posted by Grant Collier on October 4, 2013 at 12:01 AM
Excellent capture for a shot from your door!
Registered on July 29, 2005, 73 Posts, 430 Comments