Where do I put this. = Repost

Gallery: AvianPosted September 24, 2011193 views11 comments

Friday, I went to a local park, Irvine Regional Park. The are a couple groups of these Acorn Woodpeckers there. This group is about seven strong and protect their storage trees and maintain the acorns they have stored in about four threes. A young man indicated a couple knot holes that they use for nests. Right now they are gathering and storing acorns.

It is hard to obtain exposure because they are working in shaded areas. I set up where I could catch some light in a couple areas. The overcast did not clear up until about three hours after sunrise so the whites blow out or the darks do show detail. I wanted to increase my DOF there just was not enough light. These guys really gave me a couple hours of fun.

Comments always appreciated.

Canon 7D with EF500mm 4.0L with 1.4 extender
1/500 at f / 5.6
ISO 500
Tripod

Comments

11 comments

Comment posted by Patrick O'Healy on September 24, 2011 at 5:49 PM

Skip,
I was fortunate to see the series of these shots in Facebook last night. They are all great.

Registered on March 13, 2011, 326 Posts, 1679 Comments

Comment posted by Scott Frye on September 24, 2011 at 7:22 PM

I like the angle and almost comical expression on this woodpecker. Wishing the brown vegetaion didnt show in front of the bird

Registered on February 3, 2007, 387 Posts, 1136 Comments

Comment posted by Richard Ditch on September 24, 2011 at 9:34 PM

Interesting activity; a fun subject. but the light is a problem here. Most disturbing is the overall flatness (i.e., lack of contrast and a strong black where it shoudl be in the plumage).

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

Comment posted by Jim DeWitt on September 24, 2011 at 10:51 PM

A great subject, but the composition isn't ideal. Too much tree and too little bird. I also agree with the Richard that the colors aren't as vivid as I'd expect in an Acorn Woodpecker. I'd expect more vividness from the 7D. A post-processing decision?

Registered on August 28, 2006, 1240 Posts, 8506 Comments

Comment posted by Harry Harris on September 24, 2011 at 11:55 PM

Thanks Richard and Jim. I went back to the drawing board and reprocessed the image. First, I agree with Jim and so I just cropped off from the right and left sides and went with a portrait image. Second, I did not try and bring back all the detail in the dark areas. And I think Richard and Jim have come up with a better image IMO. Thanks guys.

Skip

Registered on August 2, 2010, 169 Posts, 741 Comments

Comment posted by Ashley Vincent on September 25, 2011 at 1:52 AM

While the original image is indeed a little washed out, I still like it very much Skip, as for the conditions you describe I think you did very well and I love to see something tangible that helps to explain why a particular species is given it's name :^)

I think I still prefer the original version, although if it were mine I would likely have sharpened it (the 'pecker and the tree; leaving the background well alone) as much as I could stopping just shot of making the grain all too noticeable. Sometimes I find this is a great way to give more depth to an otherwise flat image.

Registered on March 1, 2011, 154 Posts, 2083 Comments

Comment posted by Angela McCain on September 25, 2011 at 12:56 PM

Really cool find. Love that giant seed. I think the optimal image would be somewhere in between the two. I think that the second image crop is a little tight and the contrast is too much now.

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

Comment posted by Barbara Graham on September 25, 2011 at 1:01 PM

I love the situation you captured here. I agree with Angela about the optimal image being between the two. I think it's absolutely worth the work you're doing on it.

Registered on July 27, 2010, 1310 Posts, 5035 Comments

Comment posted by Ray Whitt on September 25, 2011 at 3:36 PM

Great catch Skip, I'm partial to the repost.

Ray

Registered on May 27, 2011, 92 Posts, 2619 Comments

Comment posted by Hans Overduin on September 26, 2011 at 11:19 AM

The bird and it's pose and expression are a real hammer ! The light is slightly problematic indeed, I tend towards the 2nd version as the better, though I would be happy enough myself with the first one