Cedar Waxwing

Gallery: AvianPosted July 7, 2011146 views15 comments

Tacoma, Washington July 3, 2011. While shooting with Nate.

D3 ISO 800. 300/2.8 with 2x tc. f5.6 1/2000s. -0.3ev. Handheld. Natural light and setting. Could have been at a lower ISO, but just came out of a heavily wooded area and didn't correct. Fortunately, I didn't lose much detail or create noise.

The waxwing is a bird first for me.

Comments

15 comments

Comment posted by Charlie Baugh on July 8, 2011 at 12:18 AM

Really, really nice Angela. The bird has excellent detail even in the black area at the eye and then the very light tan is detailed too. Did you consider at all doing something to get rid of the oof 2nd branch? It is nice to have some green leaves to break up the blue sky though

Registered on April 18, 2011, 329 Posts, 1985 Comments

Comment posted by Ron Dudley on July 8, 2011 at 8:19 AM

Wonderful pose Angela and you got some nice detail in a tough species for that. Congrats on your lifer.

Registered on March 30, 2007, 437 Posts, 10915 Comments

Comment posted by Howard Cheek on July 8, 2011 at 8:36 AM

Sharp details, nice pose, and a great BG Angela.
Looks a tad bright to me, could be my monitor though.
I probably would clone out the stuff left if it was mine, it's competing for my attention.
Congrats on your first!

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

Comment posted by Angela McCain on July 8, 2011 at 8:57 AM

I tried to clone it out. Just couldn't make it look natural. Gave up cause this is where he was sitting

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

Comment posted by Bill Maile on July 8, 2011 at 9:30 AM

Very nice Angela, in my very minimal attempts in shooting this bird (maybe 2 or 3 times), I just couldn't get any real eye detail. Nice to see!

Registered on March 2, 2009, 984 Posts, 2518 Comments

Comment posted by KC Choo on July 8, 2011 at 10:17 AM

Excellent job with this one, Angela!

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

Comment posted by Steve Balke on July 8, 2011 at 10:47 AM

Fine pose and we that beautiful silky appearance of the feathers too, Angela. I can understand that cloning out that stuff on the LHS would be difficult: that bg is so diffuse and delicate. Anyway, it looks great to me as posted.

Registered on June 18, 2009, 229 Posts, 2915 Comments

Comment posted by Jim Hackley on July 8, 2011 at 2:08 PM

Congratulations on the seeing your first waxwing, I have yet to see one of these. Nice detail for such smooth feathers and the background colors compliment the overall image. Unfortunate that the left branch is there but you get the shot when you can, way to go.

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

Comment posted by Terry Sohl on July 8, 2011 at 4:36 PM

Nice job Angela. I personally wouldn't have ever worried about the stuff on the left...think this looks very nice just as it is. There are enough bird-on-a-stick shots in the world already.

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

Comment posted by Cheryl Molennor on July 8, 2011 at 7:04 PM

Great light on the waxwing and a catchlight too. I still don't have one of these.

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

Comment posted by Brian Gatlin on July 8, 2011 at 11:31 PM

sweet, Angela. nice pose and great bg colors. I'm guessing I'd have tried and failed to remove those leaves also.

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

Comment posted by Richard Ditch on July 9, 2011 at 12:37 AM

The leaves and second branch are fine IMO and I'd never consider removing them.

Pose and detail are nice.

IT is a bit bright for me, and the color doesn't seem quite right (but that might just be the brightness).

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

Comment posted by David Sparks on July 9, 2011 at 10:29 AM

Congrats on your first waxwing. They are one of my favorite birds. I don't see them often and almost never get a shot as open as this one. You have excellent detail in the bird and a nice complementary BG. I think the larger version would be even more striking if you reduced the brightness of the midtones.

Registered on May 26, 2007, 290 Posts, 4270 Comments

Comment posted by Angela McCain on July 9, 2011 at 8:55 PM

By request. The mid-tone darkened version.

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

Comment posted by Dennis Plank on July 9, 2011 at 11:38 PM

Beautiful waxwing, Angela. Excellent detail in the plumage and a real bonus to get one in the open.

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