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Spectacled Whitestart
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Spectacled Whitestart

by Nate Chappell

Gallery: AvianPosted March 3, 2010209 views21 comments
This is an image I took on our last Ecuador tour. We were very happy to find a flock of this species feeding low near the end of the trail at Yanacocha. Like most warblers, they are tough to get out in the open or down low. This is cropped to about 65% of FF. I used the highest shutter speed that would synch with my flash at normal flash output levels as I was handholding.

MkIII 500F4 1.4X 1/300 F7.1, iso 800, evaluative metering -0.3, 580ex fill flash -1.0

Comments

21 comments
Comment posted by Charles Gangas on March 3, 2010 at 8:38 PM
Nice surprise! Looks as though he's very comfortable posing for you. Perfect detail and exposure IMO. :toast:
Registered on August 12, 2009, 544 Posts, 2414 Comments
Comment posted by jamie pringle on March 3, 2010 at 8:41 PM
Sweet shot of a species I have never seen, and the light in the eye from the fill flash is a nice touch. :toast:
Registered on August 10, 2005, 323 Posts, 1216 Comments
Comment posted by Nate Chappell on March 3, 2010 at 8:44 PM
Thanks for your comments Chuck and Jamie. Jamie I removed the artificial catchlight that the flash produced and I think the light that is left in the eye is from natural light.
Registered on February 1, 2006, 1158 Posts, 19528 Comments
Comment posted by Kevin Thompson on March 3, 2010 at 8:48 PM
Great shot Nate..Love the crest!!!! :biggrin: :toast:
Registered on March 15, 2005, 114 Posts, 2639 Comments
Comment posted by Ken Archer on March 3, 2010 at 9:13 PM
Another Beauty Nate!!! Excellent Detail!

Ken Archer
Registered on October 28, 2004, 222 Posts, 6683 Comments
Comment posted by Luke Ormand on March 3, 2010 at 10:04 PM
Lovely perch with a great splash of color on the bird. It's a little centered for my tastes, but otherwise it looks technically perfect.

- Luke
Registered on February 4, 2009, 1093 Posts, 7035 Comments
Comment posted by Nate Chappell on March 3, 2010 at 10:09 PM
Thanks for your comments everyone. I would have normally placed the bird just slightly higher in the frame but I didn't want the perch to dominate since it's quite large and that part of it was quite bright. I wouldn't want to go any tighter on the tail.
Registered on February 1, 2006, 1158 Posts, 19528 Comments
Comment posted by Brian Gatlin on March 3, 2010 at 10:20 PM
Interesting bird, Nate--superficially, it looks rather like a Canada Warbler to me, but it seems to be well named--I looked it up, and it's a Myioborus, just like our Painted Redstart.

Nice colors, details and exposure. I also think its a little centered, and might take a bit off the bottom and add it on the top. But that is pretty subjective and minor either way.
Registered on March 21, 2009, 202 Posts, 4187 Comments
Comment posted by Dennis Plank on March 3, 2010 at 10:54 PM
Very cool image, Nate. Wonderful detail and a great head turn. Nice flash work as well. :toast:
Registered on January 28, 2008, 1767 Posts, 23192 Comments
Comment posted by Robert Bunch on March 3, 2010 at 11:59 PM
Very nice. A very cool looking, and colorful, bird.
Registered on May 18, 2004, 124 Posts, 2503 Comments
Comment posted by Gary Gulash on March 4, 2010 at 2:07 AM
What's not to like Nate, super job. Cute little bird with some unusual and striking colors accentuated by that dappled multicolored background. I'm still struggling with the local bird species, these South American ones blow me away. :toast:
Registered on January 28, 2005, 879 Posts, 12098 Comments
Comment posted by Rob Drummond on March 4, 2010 at 4:57 AM
Another really effective use of flash Nate - lovely bird

cheers
Rob
Registered on November 8, 2003, 617 Posts, 8267 Comments
Comment posted by Kirk Greene on March 4, 2010 at 7:43 AM
Perch & BG are very nice. The centered bird doesn't bother me. I didn't realize the flash sych speed had been lifted to 1/300 on the MIII. I'm still using the MII which has a synch speed of 1/250.
Registered on May 12, 2004, 191 Posts, 1578 Comments
Comment posted by David Sparks on March 4, 2010 at 9:18 AM
Nate:
No nits from me. I really like the way the image captures the vivid colors of the bird and the contrast of the dark back/wings with the bright colors of the neck, belly, dramatic eye ring, and crest.
Registered on May 26, 2007, 290 Posts, 4270 Comments
Comment posted by KC Choo on March 4, 2010 at 9:31 AM
Terrific, Nate!
Registered on November 15, 2004, 519 Posts, 8278 Comments
Comment posted by Jim Hackley on March 4, 2010 at 9:55 AM
Very nice Nate, it is interesting to see birds that you would not normally see, well done.
Registered on September 17, 2009, 302 Posts, 5535 Comments
Comment posted by Ron Dudley on March 4, 2010 at 10:00 AM
I like this whole lot Nate - nothing to nit IMO. All the elements are strong and the bird is extremely interesting. I'm glad you explained what you've done with the catchlight and why you chose the composition you did.
Registered on March 30, 2007, 437 Posts, 10915 Comments
Comment posted by Mia McPherson on March 4, 2010 at 10:54 AM
Nate,

The colors in this image are very appealing to me as is the pose of the bird and the mossy perch. I like the great look at the eye and the way the crown of the bird is slightly raised. I think the comp is fine the way you presented it and see the logic of your reasoning for the crop.

The one thing I would do is move your copyright slightly towards the right so the copyright symbol it self is fully visible, I can just barely make out a sliver of it on the left side of the frame.

Really a very interesting looking species and well presented.
Registered on June 25, 2007, 491 Posts, 12566 Comments
Comment posted by Nick Saunders on March 4, 2010 at 4:40 PM
Now, this is a new species for me ! Nicely composed and executed shot Nate. That's a beautiful bird.
:toast:
Registered on February 6, 2008, 321 Posts, 3035 Comments
Comment posted by Cheryl Molennor on March 4, 2010 at 9:14 PM
Great fill flash Nate as well as colors and details.
Registered on June 30, 2009, 300 Posts, 5051 Comments
Comment posted by Charlie VanTassel on March 6, 2010 at 12:27 AM
Fantastic, Nate! :toast: :toast:
Registered on October 18, 2006, 644 Posts, 4801 Comments