Dark Eyed Junco

Gallery: AvianPosted January 15, 2011225 views10 comments

These Junco's came out in force during the storm on Wednesday. At one point I had about 20 in my yard working the ground near the feeders. I know there's not much to the background but they never obliged me to sit on a perch when I could take the camera out on the deck.

Tech specs: Canon 5DMII, 500mm f/4.0L lens, 1/2500 sec at f/4.5 +1EV
I did balance for the snow in PS afterward, even with +1EV the snow looked a bit dingy.

Comments

10 comments

Comment posted by Wayne Willison on January 15, 2011 at 5:06 PM

I like it, Hali. Lots of detail and texture. Just wish it were cropped more to make the bird bigger in the frame.

Registered on April 10, 2009, 292 Posts, 3967 Comments

Comment posted by Sally King on January 15, 2011 at 5:48 PM

What a lonely looking bird, although it sounds like he had a lot of friends around. I would crop to take him out of the middle. Nice details on the junco.

Registered on December 2, 2008, 416 Posts, 4450 Comments

Comment posted by Terry Sohl on January 15, 2011 at 7:40 PM

I don't think I'd crop to get the bird bigger in the frame, I like the size. I do wish he were a little less centered though.

This to me does give a very nice impression of what "winter" means to me for birding! Snow, and juncos, and not a lot else!! At least in my yard....

Registered on November 1, 2003, 513 Posts, 6889 Comments

Comment posted by Kurt Bowman on January 15, 2011 at 8:43 PM

I like the concept her Hali and I am all about breaking the rules, but the centered comp just isn't working for me on this one. I would definitely move the bird off center and use the negative space in a better way. I might even add a tiny (and I mean tiny) bit of vignette to it, but make it so it really isn't noticable unless someone is looking for it. I like how the Junco stands out agains the snow.

Registered on June 19, 2008, 1005 Posts, 8028 Comments

Comment posted by dan elster on January 15, 2011 at 11:26 PM

I'd crop enough to take this bird away from the center, but this is brilliant!

Registered on September 23, 2005, 299 Posts, 2443 Comments

Comment posted by Matt Shellenberg on January 16, 2011 at 8:17 AM

I like the idea for this image Hali. However I think I would prefer the bird a bit more off center to the left in the composition and maybe cropped a bit tighter. I am seeing some horizontal bands in the image, not sure what that is.

Registered on February 6, 2008, 168 Posts, 3118 Comments

Comment posted by Mauro Pasquero on January 16, 2011 at 11:00 AM

Nice shot, Hali. I do share the comments about taking him out if the middle.
Mauro

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

Comment posted by Gary Gulash on January 17, 2011 at 1:16 AM

Hi Hali. I like the concept here, and a big part of that is having the bird centered. I think of the bird in the scene as almost symbolic. An analogy would be the red orb in the center of the Japanese flag - it doesn't need to be off center to look right, just the opposite. The nearly featureless snow, lack of color and even your sig says "minimalist". Not your typical avian photo,

for that!!!

Registered on January 28, 2005, 879 Posts, 12098 Comments

Comment posted by Mia McPherson on January 17, 2011 at 5:56 PM

Hali,

I like the minimalist feel to this image, the pose of the junco and the falling snow. I would prefer it more though if the bird were not so centered, I would like less room on the left and perhaps some taken off of the bottom.

Registered on June 25, 2007, 491 Posts, 12566 Comments

Comment posted by Howard Cheek on June 4, 2012 at 7:49 AM

To say the bird's well isolated in the frame would be...Well just a slight understatement Hali

I agree with Terry's comment about this bird in winter, so this works very well!

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