Eastern Kingbird

Gallery: AvianPosted July 2, 20161,940 views7 comments

Canon 1D-X, 500mm f4 x 1.4TC, handheld from car window
f9, 1/800, ISO200, -0.67ev

The Kingbird was hawking bugs and returned to the perch several times. So I had a lot of opportunities. The light was pretty harsh so I tried to cope by dropping exposure compensation by two-thirds. I'm curious what you think.

70% of full frame. Slight sharpening.

C & C, please. Thanks for looking.

Comments

7 comments

Comment posted by Dennis Plank on July 2, 2016 at 7:46 PM

Very nice, Jim. Excellent detail in the Kingbird. I know you don't do much cloning, but I'd be tempted to get rid of the branch in front of the bird.

devil

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

Comment posted by Pramod.Shanbhag on July 2, 2016 at 11:59 PM

A nice portrait.As Dennis mentioned the twig in front of the bird is taking away the attention.Also on my Mac it looks a little dull

Registered on May 17, 2016, 29 Posts, 68 Comments

Comment posted by Jim Zablotny on July 3, 2016 at 6:09 AM

Hi Jim,

I'd tweak up the brightness slightly. Extraneous twigs are always a problem with bird photography. You could remove it or leave as is--it is part of the environment. The kingbird looks sharp and he is placed well in the overall comp..........................Jim

Registered on January 17, 2004, 705 Posts, 3594 Comments

Comment posted by Hans Overduin on July 3, 2016 at 1:07 PM

Nice bird. Agree with Dennis on the branch in front of the bird, but then again it was there enlightened

, Cheers, Hans

Registered on August 31, 2011, 491 Posts, 3807 Comments

Comment posted by Allen Brooks on July 4, 2016 at 10:36 AM

I like the pose and detail. Background is nice as well. It's hard to know what works until you've tried it, but I might consider removing the branch above its head and making the bird a tad brighter. I seem to be seeing more banded birds lately.

Registered on July 27, 2011, 262 Posts, 2597 Comments

Comment posted by David Schoen on July 4, 2016 at 1:06 PM

Other than what has already said, this would be an excellent situation for fill flash. I realize you can't go back and change that with this image. I'm finding with difficult lighting situations fill flash really makes a difference.

Registered on November 6, 2006, 1213 Posts, 4587 Comments

Comment posted by Nate Chappell on July 8, 2016 at 6:03 PM

I think you did well with the exposure here Jim, contrast and lighting look good to me. The branch in front of the bird doesn't bother me either. I just wish for a bit of a head turn. devil

Registered on February 1, 2006, 1158 Posts, 19528 Comments