More Little Birds

pathfinderpathfinder Super Moderators Posts: 14,708 moderator
edited February 3, 2005 in Wildlife
The sun finally came out this morning and allowed me to capture a few more shots of perching birds. I am interested, as always, in critques and suggestions for improvement. These images are all crops of of 1/3- 1/2 of my sensor - this distances typically are 30 feet.

House Finch ISO 400 f9.0 1/400
15059820-L.jpg

Grackle ISO 400 f9.0 1/400
15059824-L.jpg

I am not sure of the name of this little bird - Any one??
15059827-L.jpg

House Sparrow ISO 400 f9.0 1/400
15059828-L.jpg
Pathfinder - www.pathfinder.smugmug.com

Moderator of the Technique Forum and Finishing School on Dgrin

Comments

  • AllenAllen Registered Users Posts: 10,013 Major grins
    edited January 30, 2005
    Well done, I believe this one is a female House Finch.
    It seems to match the ones I have here.
    http://atsmith.smugmug.com/keyword/house+finches
    The grackles are difficult because of their dark color and irridesence. You captured this one nice.
    Al

    pathfinder wrote:
    The sun finally came out this morning and allowed me to capture a few more shots of perching birds. I am interested, as always, in critques and suggestions for improvement. These images are all crops of of 1/3- 1/2 of my sensor - this distances typically are 30 feet.

    House Finch ISO 400 f9.0 1/400


    Grackle ISO 400 f9.0 1/400


    I am not sure of the name of this little bird - Any one??
    15059827-L.jpg

    House Sparrow ISO 400 f9.0 1/400
    Al - Just a volunteer here having fun
    My Website index | My Blog
  • pathfinderpathfinder Super Moderators Posts: 14,708 moderator
    edited January 30, 2005
    Allen wrote:
    Well done, I believe this one is a female House Finch.
    It seems to match the ones I have here.

    Al


    I feel like I should say 11doh.gif I looked over your galleries. You are the one that should be posting bird images. I'm just a newbie at this. Thanks again for clueing me in.
    Pathfinder - www.pathfinder.smugmug.com

    Moderator of the Technique Forum and Finishing School on Dgrin
  • GREAPERGREAPER Registered Users Posts: 3,113 Major grins
    edited January 30, 2005
    I was gunna say the say thing, I think it is a female house finch.

    I like the Grackle. I have yet to get a shot of one that I like. They are a tough exposure.
    http://dehmphoto.smugmug.com/

  • fishfish Registered Users Posts: 2,950 Major grins
    edited January 30, 2005
    cute! a little oversharpened tho, imho. what's with the funky target-shaped bokeh highlights? rolleyes1.gif
    "Consulting the rules of composition before taking a photograph, is like consulting the laws of gravity before going for a walk." - Edward Weston
    "The Edge... there is no honest way to explain it because the only people who really know where it is are the ones who have gone over."-Hunter S.Thompson
  • pathfinderpathfinder Super Moderators Posts: 14,708 moderator
    edited January 30, 2005
    fish wrote:
    cute! a little oversharpened tho, imho. what's with the funky target-shaped bokeh highlights? rolleyes1.gif

    Over sharpened or not sharpened enough. You can have them either way you want, Fish.:D :D

    No diffractive elements in this lens though. Sorry - nothing but real optical glass. :uhoh :uhoh
    Pathfinder - www.pathfinder.smugmug.com

    Moderator of the Technique Forum and Finishing School on Dgrin
  • pathfinderpathfinder Super Moderators Posts: 14,708 moderator
    edited February 1, 2005
    I managed to find a couple more images of litle birds today...

    House Finch F10 1/400
    15195975-L.jpg


    House Sparrow F9 1/400
    15195981-L.jpg

    I am interested in opinions and critiques please. 1drink.gif
    Pathfinder - www.pathfinder.smugmug.com

    Moderator of the Technique Forum and Finishing School on Dgrin
  • John MuellerJohn Mueller Registered Users Posts: 2,555 Major grins
    edited February 1, 2005
    I would try and open it up a little and increase the shutter speed.
    I have had great results @f5.6-f8
    ISO looks good.
    What lens?
    Overall these are wonderful.
    My Smuggy

    Cincinnati Smug Leader
  • GREAPERGREAPER Registered Users Posts: 3,113 Major grins
    edited February 1, 2005
    pathfinder wrote:
    I manages to find a couple more images of litle birds today...

    House Finch F10 1/400
    15195975-S.jpg
    This one is Excellent. The DOF is great, most of the brach is reasonably in focus and the bird is sharp. The pose is decent and you caught her eating. The background is nearly PERFECT, all one color and tone, no distractng elements, Perfect. The composition could be a little less centered, but she fills the frame so its all good.
    pathfinder wrote:
    House Sparrow F9 1/400
    15195981-S.jpg

    This one doesn't do it as much for me. The birds pose is good and the catch in song is great but the birds looks a bit soft to me. The verticle lines in the background just scream MANMADE like a fence or house and I find them distracting. There is a white oval spot to the left and bellow the bird that catches the eye and distracts. I dont know what the white spot is, but its position and shape will only remind people of one thing.

    Just some thoughts.
    http://dehmphoto.smugmug.com/

  • pathfinderpathfinder Super Moderators Posts: 14,708 moderator
    edited February 1, 2005
    MHJS wrote:
    I would try and open it up a little and increase the shutter speed.
    I have had great results @f5.6-f8
    ISO looks good.
    What lens?
    Overall these are wonderful.

    The House Finch was shot with a 300mm + 2x, so f5.6 would be wide open and I had a few complaints with this combo that the images were not sharp, so I tried stopping down one stop from wide open to see if that would help. I think maybe it did.

    The DOF is SO shallow with long telephotos that what seems like it should easy, turns out to be challenging for me. If the birds are in bright sunshine it is easier, but when they are in shadows it gets harder to AF dead on at times.
    Pathfinder - www.pathfinder.smugmug.com

    Moderator of the Technique Forum and Finishing School on Dgrin
  • John MuellerJohn Mueller Registered Users Posts: 2,555 Major grins
    edited February 1, 2005
    pathfinder wrote:
    The House Finch was shot with a 300mm + 2x, so f5.6 would be wide open and I had a few complaints with this combo that the images were not sharp, so I tried stopping down one stop from wide open to see if that would help. I think maybe it did.

    The DOF is SO shallow with long telephotos that what seems like it should esy, turns out to be challenging for me. If the birds are in bright sunshine it is easier, but when they are in shadows it gets harder to AF dead on at times.
    Then I recommend the 300 f2.8 j/k :D
    My Smuggy

    Cincinnati Smug Leader
  • pathfinderpathfinder Super Moderators Posts: 14,708 moderator
    edited February 1, 2005
    GREAPER wrote:
    This one doesn't do it as much for me. The birds pose is good and the catch in song is great but the birds looks a bit soft to me. The verticle lines in the background just scream MANMADE like a fence or house and I find them distracting. There is a white oval spot to the left and bellow the bird that catches the eye and distracts. I dont know what the white spot is, but its position and shape will only remind people of one thing.

    Just some thoughts.

    Brian - Your comments are all accurate - The green fence I could not avoid - The rhododendron bush is right in front of the fence and the sparrows fly in and out of the rhododendron bush on the way to the feeder. I've posted other images of the sparrows in the rhododendron bush.

    I painted the end of the twig maroon to mtch the rest of the twig and I resharpened the bird and recropped . Not sure I think it is any better, but at least it does not look like bird poop any longer :D Thank you for taking the time to comment.

    15202334-L.jpg
    Pathfinder - www.pathfinder.smugmug.com

    Moderator of the Technique Forum and Finishing School on Dgrin
  • pathfinderpathfinder Super Moderators Posts: 14,708 moderator
    edited February 1, 2005
    MHJS wrote:
    Then I recommend the 300 f2.8 j/k :D


    That is correct - 300 F2.8 + 2x = F5.6 wide open ne_nau.gifne_nau.gif
    Pathfinder - www.pathfinder.smugmug.com

    Moderator of the Technique Forum and Finishing School on Dgrin
  • Tim KirkwoodTim Kirkwood Registered Users Posts: 900 Major grins
    edited February 1, 2005
    These are all great PF!


    share some more!
    www.KirkwoodPhotography.com

    Speak with sweet words, for you never know when you may have to eat them....
  • pathfinderpathfinder Super Moderators Posts: 14,708 moderator
    edited February 1, 2005
    Tim Kirkwood wrote:
    These are all great PF!


    share some more!
    Not sure the rest of my birds from today will stand up to scrutiny, but this little fella might...

    15203329-L.jpg
    Pathfinder - www.pathfinder.smugmug.com

    Moderator of the Technique Forum and Finishing School on Dgrin
  • GREAPERGREAPER Registered Users Posts: 3,113 Major grins
    edited February 1, 2005
    I know they are kinda tree rats, but I love watching squirrels. They can be hilarious.

    I saw the fatest squirrel I have EVER seen last time I went to the feeders. I dont think he could climb a tree. I was there 2 hours and he never moved and never stopped eating. When he walked his belly dragged on the ground.

    Nice shot Pathfinder. Makes me wanna start a tree rats thread...

    :D
    http://dehmphoto.smugmug.com/

  • pathfinderpathfinder Super Moderators Posts: 14,708 moderator
    edited February 1, 2005
    GREAPER wrote:
    I know they are kinda tree rats, but I love watching squirrels. They can be hilarious.

    I saw the fatest squirrel I have EVER seen last time I went to the feeders. I dont think he could climb a tree. I was there 2 hours and he never moved and never stopped eating. When he walked his belly dragged on the ground.

    Nice shot Pathfinder. Makes me wanna start a tree rats thread...

    :D

    I have three very fat squirrels in my yard that compete with the birds for the seed on the gound from the feeder.

    This little tree rat has figured out how to climb down to my bird feeder, and today he realized that the lid could be pulled up to expose the seed. So I had to go out and chastise him. I've got pics still on my CF that I did not process. Maybe I'll dig them out.
    Pathfinder - www.pathfinder.smugmug.com

    Moderator of the Technique Forum and Finishing School on Dgrin
  • pathfinderpathfinder Super Moderators Posts: 14,708 moderator
    edited February 2, 2005
    I caught a few more new ones today - I am not entering any contests - just trying to see what birds frequent my backyard.

    Slate colored Junco I think
    15241011-L.jpg

    A female cardinal - perhaps my best of a female
    15241009-L.jpg

    A red bellied wood pecker - apologies for the feeder, but I couldn't pass this one up
    15241016-L.jpg


    An Avian action shot - Incoming!! :D:D
    15241018-L.jpg

    And last a male cardinal in the last of the dirty snow...
    15241013-L.jpg
    Pathfinder - www.pathfinder.smugmug.com

    Moderator of the Technique Forum and Finishing School on Dgrin
  • Steve CaviglianoSteve Cavigliano Super Moderators Posts: 3,599 moderator
    edited February 3, 2005
    PF,

    I liked your initial pics, but these last ones blow me away!!! clap.gifclap.gifclap.gifclap.gif

    WOW!!

    Super sharp and great detail and color thumb.gifthumb.gif


    Thanks for sharing and please feel free to share pics like this anytime biggrinbounce2.gif


    Steve
    SmugMug Support Hero
  • pathfinderpathfinder Super Moderators Posts: 14,708 moderator
    edited February 3, 2005
    Steve Cavigliano wrote:
    PF,

    I liked your initial pics, but these last ones blow me away!!! clap.gifclap.gifclap.gifclap.gif

    WOW!!

    Super sharp and great detail and color thumb.gifthumb.gif


    Thanks for sharing and please feel free to share pics like this anytime biggrinbounce2.gif


    Steve

    Thanks Steve. I am still learning how to capture little birds. I appreciate your encouragement a great deal. - It is a little different than shooting bigger water birds like this... 8223985-M.jpg
    Pathfinder - www.pathfinder.smugmug.com

    Moderator of the Technique Forum and Finishing School on Dgrin
  • lynnmalynnma Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 5,208 Major grins
    edited February 3, 2005
    pathfinder wrote:
    I caught a few more new ones today - I am not entering any contests - just trying to see what birds frequent my backyard.

    Slate colored Junco I think


    A female cardinal - perhaps my best of a female


    A red bellied wood pecker - apologies for the feeder, but I couldn't pass this one up



    An Avian action shot - Incoming!! :D:D


    And last a male cardinal in the last of the dirty snow...
    Lovely shots path.. love the female Cardinal, the male also but the female is beautiful. I love squirrells too.. have'nt seen mine for a month actually.. I wonder where they are?
    clap.gifclap.gif
    website
Sign In or Register to comment.