Red-winged Blackbird

Gallery: AvianPosted July 9, 2013146 views7 comments

Hello All.

I haven't posted in a while, so I thought I'd slip a in Red-winged Blackbird that I photographed over the weekend.

Returning home, I happened to be driving by a local pond and the lighting was intermittently decent. In view of the fact that black coloured birds pose a bit of a challenge exposure-wise, I didn't want the opportunity to pass me by (or I pass by it).

I know there are a few OOF background artifacts - and the lower part of the photo might seem a bit busy and distracting to some, but I 'm not a big fan of spending a great deal of time cloning and healing, etc; moreover, I tend to like a bit of OOF foliage, providing it doesn't completely draw the attention away from the subject.

At any rate:1Dx; 500mm+1.4TC; f/5.6; 1/4000 sec; ISO 1250, +0.7 exposure; no flash.

Thanks for looking.

Comments

7 comments

Comment posted by Claude Dagenais on July 9, 2013 at 6:41 PM

Great detail in the blacks and super pose showing the bird's characteristics, I like the background, it maintains reality in the capture. Excellent work Derrick.
Would have liked to see the larger picture.

Registered on April 10, 2013, 56 Posts, 571 Comments

Comment posted by Jim Zablotny on July 9, 2013 at 8:03 PM

Very nice indeed. The OOF greenery does not bother me a bit. The feather detail might be more impressive in a larger size image--otherwise, I'm impressed with the composition, and the focus. The birds attention on something has been captured by you nicely

................Jim

Registered on January 17, 2004, 705 Posts, 3594 Comments

Comment posted by Kurt Bowman on July 9, 2013 at 9:35 PM

Nice job getting him in flight Derrick. I don't mind having visible OOF vegetation, but I do wish one of the strands was not intersecting with the head. The angle is a little interesting...looks like you were shooting down on him? It gives the viewer a nice view of the red portions of the wings. Detail looks good, but hard to tell for certain with only having a small version to look at with my old eyes.

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

Comment posted by May Haga on July 10, 2013 at 12:21 PM

Excellent timing. Great capture.
May

Registered on February 22, 2007, 714 Posts, 8470 Comments

Comment posted by LeRoy Gunderson on July 10, 2013 at 1:33 PM

Great pose! Really shows off the red wing patches. The greenery doesn't bother me either. as it is a part of the birds natural habitat.

Registered on December 14, 2004, 27 Posts, 112 Comments

Comment posted by Dennis Plank on July 10, 2013 at 10:48 PM

Excellent flight shot, Derrick.

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

Comment posted by Howard Cheek on July 23, 2013 at 7:41 AM

Very nice exposure and details in this hard to get flight shot Derrick.
I understand you're not a 'fan' of cloning, but removing the one piece of grass coming up to the head would improve this IMHO.
I especially like the view of those colorful shoulder patches, well done

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