Indigo Bunting

Gallery: AvianPosted June 21, 2010293 views21 comments

These buntings pass through the S. Louisiana wetlands for a brief time, maybe two weeks, during early spring. They time their arrival with the seed production of Johnson Grass. From my observations, that is their primary food source in this area. Of the hundreds I've seen over the years, this is the only one that allowed close enough approach to get a shot on. Not the perch I would have preferred but it is what it is.
Taken from my truck with bean bag.
Late morning, diffused ambient light.
Full Frame + a little canvas at the top.

Model NIKON D200
Flash Used No
Focal Length 560 mm (Nikon 400mm f/2.8d AF-I with Nikon TC14EII)
Exposure Time 1/1600 sec
Aperture f/6.3
ISO Equivalent 320
Exposure Bias -1
White Balance Manual Sunlight
Metering Mode matrix
Raw
Exposure Program aperture priority

Comments

21 comments

Comment posted by mark cillo on June 21, 2010 at 8:10 PM

Very nice! Beautiful bird and great BG

Registered on July 27, 2008, 143 Posts, 1483 Comments

Comment posted by S Govindarajan on June 21, 2010 at 8:15 PM

Great image, Ronnie. Perfect techs, super sharp and detailed. Wonderful background and perch. The grass stalks and remnants of seeds on the beak enhance this already good image. I think presenting this in a vertical comp will also work well, if you had that option.

Thanks for sharing this.

Registered on April 19, 2008, 115 Posts, 1921 Comments

Comment posted by Dan Walters on June 21, 2010 at 9:07 PM

The soft light really brings out the color in the bunting. Very nice!

Registered on October 30, 2005, 405 Posts, 3693 Comments

Comment posted by Richard Ditch on June 21, 2010 at 9:17 PM

Excellent technicals, as usual. Lovely light; nice color. Very nice background color for the bunting. A touch more space for the tail would be nice.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 1031 Posts, 12705 Comments

Comment posted by wade pettitt on June 21, 2010 at 9:31 PM

Ronnie, well done, nice and sharp, great background and great colors.

Registered on May 6, 2009, 184 Posts, 471 Comments

Comment posted by Angela McCain on June 21, 2010 at 10:00 PM

Your sharpness is so strong here that I think you could crop in a bit and really emphasize your skill. A vertical would work well.

Registered on April 19, 2009, 367 Posts, 3589 Comments

Comment posted by Kirk Greene on June 21, 2010 at 11:13 PM

A wonderful, sharp image. I would have never picked up on the added canvas if you didn't mention it.

Registered on May 12, 2004, 191 Posts, 1578 Comments

Comment posted by KC Choo on June 21, 2010 at 11:26 PM

Very nice capture! I wish for a bit of room at the tail, too.

Registered on November 15, 2004, 519 Posts, 8278 Comments

Comment posted by Charlie VanTassel on June 21, 2010 at 11:27 PM

A beautiful photo, Ronnie. Sharp as can be.

Registered on October 18, 2006, 644 Posts, 4801 Comments

Comment posted by Gary Marquart on June 21, 2010 at 11:51 PM

Really nice image Ronnie,
but at the risk of sounding overly picky, I'll say my only nit is I find the OOF grass a little
distracting as my eyes are drawn to it. If it wasn't there or was in focus then to me it would be perfect. I wonder how much space there was between the OOF grass and the bird and if a different aperture setting would have worked for more DOF.
Nice as is though.

Registered on October 24, 2009, 126 Posts, 799 Comments

Comment posted by Ronnie Gaubert on June 21, 2010 at 11:54 PM

Hi Gary,
Thanks for the comment. That OOF grass stem was 2 feet in front of the bird. If you read my comment about the image you will see I was not pleased with the perch.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 810 Posts, 3495 Comments

Comment posted by Brian Gatlin on June 22, 2010 at 12:11 AM

a shame about the oof perch, with such a great looking bird and perfectly complimentary bg. really like how the tones of the bg work with the bird. I agree about a little more room for the tail (and the possibility of a vertical comp) but understand not wanting more of the oof grass.

Registered on March 21, 2009, 202 Posts, 4187 Comments

Comment posted by Mauro Pasquero on June 22, 2010 at 2:33 AM

Beautiful shot, Ronnie. I love it!
Mauro

Registered on January 21, 2010, 650 Posts, 2500 Comments

Comment posted by Jeff Loomis on June 22, 2010 at 9:02 AM

This is stunning! They nest here, so we have all summer to work on getting a shot. Still, I've never come close to anything this good. It's so nice that he is at eye level. Usually I'm looking up at them. Just a great great image that I just keep staring at.

Registered on January 26, 2010, 68 Posts, 719 Comments

Comment posted by denise ippolito on June 22, 2010 at 10:29 AM

Beautiful colors and background. I like the feather detail and the sharpness. I do wish the OOF grass at the bottom weren't there but it doesn't detract too much. I might add a tiny bit more canvas to the bottom but can fully appreciate the full frame shot. Well done.

Registered on December 17, 2009, 202 Posts, 1529 Comments

Comment posted by Jim Hackley on June 22, 2010 at 11:04 AM

I would be happy with this shot, you have to take what is given, good detail where it counts, well done.

Registered on September 17, 2009, 302 Posts, 5535 Comments

Comment posted by Howard Cheek on June 22, 2010 at 9:48 PM

Very nice, like the seed husk remnants about the beak.
Not going to nit pick it, suggestions have already been made..
It's great as is IMO

Registered on July 24, 2008, 1201 Posts, 10758 Comments

Comment posted by Stephen on June 22, 2010 at 9:58 PM

Buntings for me are also very shy. I have never even seen an indigo as they rarely come through the N. Texas area. Vehicles can serve as great blinds. I like the natural perch, nice color and detail. The little bit of seed on the beak adds interest. I can just imagine that it had its beak deep in the seeds of that grass just before the shot.

Registered on November 11, 2007, 42 Posts, 803 Comments

Comment posted by Dennis Plank on June 22, 2010 at 11:01 PM

The perch works for me, Ronnie, Sweet image.

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

Comment posted by Cheryl Molennor on June 23, 2010 at 6:00 PM

Love these too. The seeds on the mouth are a bonus

Registered on June 30, 2009, 300 Posts, 5051 Comments

Comment posted by Derrick Lipinski on June 23, 2010 at 9:34 PM

Wow! beautiful color and sharpness, Ronnie.

Registered on October 5, 2007, 58 Posts, 2039 Comments