Palm Warbler + 2nd repost

Gallery: AvianPosted September 27, 2011219 views9 comments

If my ID is incorrect, please correct me. Thanks.

Canon EOS REBEL T2i
EF400mm f/5.6L USM
9/24/2011 – 11:08:44 AM in dappled light
1/500 sec
Aperture priority
f/5.6
ISO 400
Handheld
Spanish Quarry, Anastasia State Park, St. Augustine, FL
Raw, LR3, CS5, 68% of FF

Pros: Very close (the bird's doing, not mine). Bird is sharp and clear. I like the flower. I like the pose. I like the light.

Cons: Personally I don't have any cons on this one, but I think some people will not like the two-toned background or the vegetation. It doesn't bother me, though.

I was sitting in the old Spanish Quarry in St. Augustine, which is now, of course, covered with vegetation, and this little bird was not concerned about me at all. I have a second image I will probably post, too.

Comments and suggestions are always desired and appreciated. If possible, please view the larger version first.

Thank you!

Comments

9 comments

Comment posted by Richard Ditch on September 27, 2011 at 2:25 PM

ID is correct.

The warbler is sharp and properly exposed. It is a good size and placed properly in the overall composition. Since this species spends a lot of time near or on the ground the setting here is proper and natural.

Personally I find the single OOF flower directly in front of the bird to be distracting, but I wouldn't suggest cloning it out.

The vegetation at the bottom is a bit bright for my tastes and I'd tone it down a bit. There are many ways to do this - one is to add a new layer, set it to soft light, and fill with neutral gray. Then use a large soft brush at low strength (10-20%) set to black to paint on the new layer where it could be darkened. Switch to a white brush to correct if you go too far wit the black brush.

Another way to darken: select the warbler, then invert the selection. With the selection active add a levels layer but don't move any of the sliders. Change the mode pf the new layer to Multiply - the overall image except where the bird was been masked will go much darker. Use the opacity slider for the new layer to adjust how much darkening is applied. Use a soft black brush to paint on the mask of the new layer to reduce the amount of darkening at the top of the image.

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

Comment posted by Sally King on September 27, 2011 at 5:40 PM

Love the head turn and the rich greens of the foliage. Nice feather details too. Agree with Richard that that one flower in front is a bit distracting.

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

Comment posted by Barbara Graham on September 27, 2011 at 9:19 PM

I think this is better.

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

Comment posted by Dennis Plank on September 27, 2011 at 11:28 PM

Very sharp, and I like the head turn, Barbara. It's a small thing, but if this were mine, I'd be tempted to clone out the oof flower above and to the left of the bird's head. The others don't bother me, but that one feels like a distraction to me.

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

Comment posted by John Tobias on September 28, 2011 at 2:37 PM

I like your first post, the OOF flower in front of the bird does not bother me too much. The bird is nice and sharp. To me, it looks like your repost has picked up a bit of a magenta cast, could just be me. Thanks for sharing.

Registered on September 12, 2009, 2120 Posts, 6455 Comments

Comment posted by Barbara Graham on September 28, 2011 at 2:56 PM

John, is this better?

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

Comment posted by John Tobias on September 28, 2011 at 11:24 PM

Barbara, the second repost is in MHO better. Thanks for sharing it.

Registered on September 12, 2009, 2120 Posts, 6455 Comments

Comment posted by Ron Dudley on September 29, 2011 at 8:32 AM

Barbara, I reallly like the pose and the setting. Sharpness looks good and I'm fine with the flowers - all of them.

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

Comment posted by Jim DeWitt on October 1, 2011 at 6:22 PM

Nice, Barbara. I like the first post, but all of them are fine. I think the flowers add more than they impair the photo. Fine work.

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