First Sign of Spring

Gallery: AvianPosted April 14, 2014213 views16 comments

Northern Cardinal perched in a redbud tree.
If you look closely upper right corner, the first tiny red buds have formed..
F/10, 1/800th, ISO 500, 1D M3, 300mm f/2.8 + 2x ext @ 10:31am.
Mostly sunny.

Comments

16 comments

Comment posted by Rick Cloran on April 14, 2014 at 6:36 PM

Excellent portrait.

Nice light, a very becoming pose and the twigs frame him as if ti were in a studio. No detail in the BG and excellent detail in him to top it off. Well done.

Registered on April 6, 2004, 119 Posts, 1989 Comments

Comment posted by Barb Pflaum on April 14, 2014 at 7:46 PM

Beautiful light, color,and detail, Howard! Nice comp and bg.

Registered on January 14, 2009, 316 Posts, 2724 Comments

Comment posted by Matt Shellenberg on April 14, 2014 at 8:57 PM

Great look at this beauty Howard. Very nice natural color in the cardinal and those zigzagged branches are cool. Great job.

Registered on February 6, 2008, 168 Posts, 3118 Comments

Comment posted by Philip Hodgkins on April 14, 2014 at 9:27 PM

Well done, Howard. Handsome bird!

Registered on July 24, 2006, 2741 Posts, 12349 Comments

Comment posted by Dennis Plank on April 14, 2014 at 10:17 PM

Great eye contact and superb detail in the plumage, Howard. A real beauty.

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

Comment posted by Mike Ramy on April 14, 2014 at 11:38 PM

Very nice Howard and wonderful detail in the feathers of a very difficult subject. The perch and BG are perfect as usual and the head feathers laid back makes for a great pose from this handsome fellow.
Well Done . . .

Registered on June 16, 2012, 567 Posts, 2809 Comments

Comment posted by Ray Whitt on April 15, 2014 at 8:10 AM

Love it Howard, great pose and wonderful detail.

Ray

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

Comment posted by Charlie VanTassel on April 15, 2014 at 10:06 AM

So how do you get a bird to smile? Let us in on your secret. Nice, Howard.

Registered on October 18, 2006, 644 Posts, 4801 Comments

Comment posted by Jim Hackley on April 15, 2014 at 11:45 AM

Wonderful pose with good eye contact. I like the contrast between bird and background and nice job of getting this in the bright light as that does not always work out.

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

Comment posted by Paul Breitkreuz on April 15, 2014 at 8:18 PM

Detail, textures, & color are truly wonderful and totally outstanding on this one, Howard.
Does not get any cleaner then this guy !!!

Registered on February 25, 2006, 525 Posts, 8448 Comments

Comment posted by David Haynes on April 16, 2014 at 12:51 AM

Exceptional Howard. Like a post card. That head and the eye are tack sharp, the colors are vibrant but nicely muted and a stellar background to cap things off. Just perfect!!!!

Registered on February 20, 2010, 110 Posts, 1511 Comments

Comment posted by Ken Archer on April 16, 2014 at 5:02 PM

Sweet portrait of this handsome fellow Howard

Registered on October 28, 2004, 222 Posts, 6683 Comments

Comment posted by Kurt Bowman on April 16, 2014 at 5:44 PM

Very nice exposure, great color on the reds and very nice comp. well done Howard.

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

Comment posted by Albert Darmo on April 17, 2014 at 11:27 AM

Hi Howard