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Mourning Dove
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Mourning Dove

by Dennis Plank

Gallery: AvianPosted November 19, 2017209 views11 comments
Every once in awhile the Steller's Jays stop on this post on their way in to feed and I've been trying unsuccessfully to get a shot of them for a month now.  However, this dove stopped long enough for me to get two frames with the sun peaking between branches to light its head.  This was my favorite of the two. 

7Dii, Sigma 150-600 C @ 468 mm, Jobu gimbal on blind window, f/8, 1/500, iso 2000, aperture priority, pattern metering, -1EV.  Processed in LR & PS CC.  Even with the -1 compensation, the dark bg caused the head to be very "exposed to the right" so I dropped the overall exposure in RAW and brought the bg up in PS.  I also added canvas left and top and removed a touch on the right.  Taken at 10:06 am on November 17th.

Your comments and critiques are always appreciated.

Thanks,

Comments

11 comments
Comment posted by Allen Brooks on November 19, 2017 at 10:20 PM
Though a bit dark, there's still good detail in the dove and spotlight effect on the head makes for a different look.
Registered on July 27, 2011, 262 Posts, 2597 Comments
Comment posted by Jerry Austin on November 19, 2017 at 10:23 PM
Great background and perch. Nice light on the head and shoulders. Well done.
Registered on January 6, 2012, 651 Posts, 3448 Comments
Comment posted by Ken Archer on November 20, 2017 at 3:54 AM
I really like the spot light effect you captured here Dennis. Your timing was perfect to capture both the dove and the rare glimpse of the Northwest winter sun at the same moment. Nice details and a great background.

A Beauty!
Registered on October 28, 2004, 222 Posts, 6683 Comments
Comment posted by Skip Layman on November 20, 2017 at 2:32 PM
This captures the wonderful soft colors of the dove beautifully.
Registered on November 1, 2003, 558 Posts, 1704 Comments
Comment posted by Philip Hodgkins on November 20, 2017 at 4:52 PM
It may not be a Stellers's Jay, but it certainly is a stellar Mourning Dove! Love the IQ and the light!devil
Registered on July 24, 2006, 2741 Posts, 12349 Comments
Comment posted by Shirley Freeman on November 20, 2017 at 6:13 PM
Beautiful capture of this Morning Dove, Dennis.  I too like the "spotlight" on the head of it.  Very nice perch as well, and the background just makes it stand out.  Stellar image, indeed. 
Registered on May 27, 2017, 77 Posts, 844 Comments
Comment posted by David Bogener on November 20, 2017 at 7:39 PM
Love the spotlight effect on the head and the way it pops off that dark background.Nice pose.  If this is a setup from a blind, consider a more attractive perch?
Registered on October 30, 2013, 417 Posts, 1255 Comments
Comment posted by Ed Williams on November 21, 2017 at 12:29 AM
Pretty light and really nice setting for the dove Dennis. 
Registered on December 28, 2010, 636 Posts, 3499 Comments
Comment posted by Barbara Graham on November 21, 2017 at 2:19 AM
Beautiful lighting and treatment of the lighting, and such a beautiful presentation of this Mourning Dove.
Registered on July 27, 2010, 1310 Posts, 5035 Comments
Comment posted by David Schoen on November 21, 2017 at 1:44 PM
Excellent lighting here Dennis.  You are certainly able to take advantage of some find sun in the right place.  Wonderful detail and a superb  background.  This is a really nice photograph of this dove.
Registered on November 6, 2006, 1213 Posts, 4587 Comments
Comment posted by Hans Overduin on November 22, 2017 at 10:48 AM
Most have been said, so I'll just add that for me the spot light makes the image ! Cheers, hans
Registered on August 31, 2011, 491 Posts, 3807 Comments