Hungry Warbler

Hi Bill: Very cool pose and the gnats add the interest of the image. Unfortunately, the image isn't as sharp as it needs to be. The larger version is showing a good deal of noise which seems surprising at ISO 320. Was the original under exposed and had to be brought up in post processing?

Hi Keith, yes, I wish it was up to 1/800th or so given the movement. Maybe all would have been very sharp. PP, it's funny how NPN brings out the worst, as the noise hasn't been an issue anywhere else, and I've posted it many places. My bad.

Very cool capture; nits (as opposed to gnats) as Keith noted.

Good to have you back posting again.

Cool shot Bill. Love the pose and the bird's focus on the insects. My only grumble is that the image lacks overall sharpness.

Bill,

This is a marvelous pose, but I agree with others on the overall sharpness and noise, is it a large crop?

Perfect timing that illustrates the gymnastics that these birds do to obtain food. Great that you also captured the gnats below the bird, still out of reach. Concur with the comments on details.

Thanks all folks, yes, this is a fairly large crop, thus much of the reason for the resultant noise in the larger post. BUT, as I said, I have not seen that noise on Flickr, FB, B&B, BirdWatching Mag... nowhere else online, even at a much larger size.

I've got a few dead-on, sharp images of the bird perched horizontally, some of the insects below. Very nice and what most posters on here look for. Ehhhhh...

But TO ME, they don't compare to this image. The Warbler made a sudden move (OK, about 100 of them), and had NO time to adjust. So just the way it is hanging with its beak open, and especially the way the gnats lined up below--the five of them in sort of an "S" pattern leading toward the beak--those are the things that make this image my favorite. Always will be.

Must be I'm not too sharp either. All in fun, juts explaining my feelings on it. THANK YOU for the feedback!!
Keep it coming, love to hear others views, though I'm sure the sharpness will always be a downer for most.

Very interesting behavior. Good timing catching the warbler and the gnats. But as with the others I really wish this was sharper.

I have not seen that noise on Flickr, FB, B&B, BirdWatching Mag... nowhere else online, even at a much larger size.

This is strange and doesn't make sense. Can you post links to these other sites so we can see the difference? When you say "much larger size" are these versions you have prepped and posted or have they been upsized by the site itself?

Bill - I think there are only two issues with this image.

1. It's a large crop, which introduced noise and degraded quality and sharpness

2. The leaf is in the most distracting of spots.

It's a great capture and something unique for sure - but it could be better which I think is what others are trying to say here.

Luke, it can obviously be better--which I've already stated. And said why.

Richard, thank you for your input. 3.49MB, 2050 on the longest side, which is half of what is posted here on NPN, at 1100 and obviously under 500mb.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/themaileman/8953286945/lightbox/

God, I know it can be better. Or i can just post the pics of the bird sitting on a branch. Which I have. Great to be back.

Hi Bill,

First, welcome back. Good to see you.

The version on Flicker is also noisy and out of focus. I suspect that since NPN is a critique site that's why your getting critique that points out these issues. I went back through your gallery a bit and it looks to me like your equipment is capable of taking sharp photos, although it's hard to tell. The Robin, for instance.... while the bird is not sharp the grass to the left is sharp (kind of). The Vulture is completely out of focus. The Goose is out of focus, but parts of the wing are close. The Mallard Drake is out of focus. There is no reason that with a 500mm lens and the D90 that this Duck should be soft. It's not just that they are a little out of focus, they are WAY out.

There is something going on here that is fixable and I'm not sure if it is your equipment or your technique. Maybe you could do some test shots with your rig to see how sharp things can be with this camera / lens. It could be that your equipment is faulty. If it is, get it fixed. Maybe something in your technique needs help. Maybe you can post more of your techs so we can investigate. It would be nice to get to the bottom of this. You will be happier, we will be happier... and the birds will thank you. You've been at this for a while now, and I think that if we can just figure out what's going on here it will benefit you. If you are really interested in taking better photos it's time that we give this thing a kick in the pants....

Hi Charlie, nice to hear from you!! I agree with the kick in the pants part, for sure, but getting back to THIS photo, I had already stated numerous times, that I KNOW it is OOF. And explained why, I think, several times. There is absolutely no argument at all. However, my point simply was, that I'd take this over a perfectly focused Warbler perched on a branch any day--having said that, I'd certainly prefer this bird in action in perfect focus even more!!

As far as noise on flickr on the larger one posted, not on my monitor. Just stating a fact--it's noisy as hel* on here, and I'm blaming my cropping/processing more than anything. (BTW, I don't post all things from flickr on here for obvious reasons, same goes for those I post on FB as that crowd and my posting is more for local enjoyment and to help drive interest and sales). I honestly after three years or more here do not mind getting critiqued, not at all. And I know the point that you and others are trying to make. But I'm not going to go thru your photo-by-photo thing for reasons stated above, but thank you.

Even in my best case scenarios, I am not physically able to spend hours in the field, nor maneuver my position very easily. Often resulting in LARGE crops. Not an excuse, but I really don't feel like getting into ailments on a photo site. I'll just keep practicing.

Thankfully, the people at "Pennsylvania Birds", put out by the PA Society for Ornithology, like this enough to include it in an upcoming issue. Along with some of my other photos with issues.

Bill, I understand what you are saying. We all agree this one is oof. No argument. My question to you then is why are your photos consistently out of focus? You are good at finding nice subjects. You have good equipment. You can get them in the frame and you can trip the shutter. So what is missing? Why not figure it out so that you can have both great scenes like this one AND sharp photos? We can help you. That's what we do. I would like to see your next post be one that is as sharp as you can possibly make it even if it's a Chicken or a Pigeon.

I'm getting on a plane soon, so excuse me if I'm not around for a few....

Charlie, thank you again. Please don't misunderstand my post as misguided sarcasm--but on the Internet, that happens--and I am sarcastic by nature unfortunately. I know all too well. I never even attempted avian photography until a buddy of mine got me watching for eagles. I probably went out shooting 20-30 times last year at most, taking birds by chance, as I do now. I got the 500mm about August of 2012.. Anyway, I know you are all out for the best, or else I wouldn't have just re-upped here. I'll send you an email maybe. Sincerely I appreciate it. 'nuff said for me for now. I haven't posted since I've become active again on NPN. This the first.