Dunnock + repost

Am I carrying my own personal cloud around with me or has anybody seen the sun lately? I took this one in the garden today when it brightened up a bit and I was able to come down to iso 800!
I'm still learning when it comes to processing my images, so if anything looks like it could have been done better, I'd love to know.
Thanks for looking.
Eric

400D 100-400 @ 400
1/100 f/5.6
50% crop usm 50/0.7/2 NN on BG

The Dunnocks in Holland are always feeding on the ground. I just can't get them on a perch.
You got lucky and made the best out of it. A bit soft but 50% crop will loose sharpness.
The pose is great and if this is at your feeder maybe some other perch? Just an idea. great shot, that's for sure.

Edwin

Hello Eric

Great shot.

Danny

You're right about it looking a bit soft, Edwin. It looked better before I re-sized it. I have put it through the same settings twice more, is this better or too much? Should I sharpen after re-sizing or before? Thanks for your help.

I actually prefer the first version, is it just me or is this excessive sharpening becoming overwhelming ?, as soon as I see an oversharpend shot I think photoshop rather than enjoying the image for what it is ??

not aimed at you Eric, just an observation from looking at wildlife sites around the web, I like the shot a lot and am envious of your light, around the north west its been dull and grey for almost two weeks now

I'll go for the second post. I think the sharpening doesn't look excessive at all.
It looks great overhere. It's best to sharpen after re-sizing.

job well done.

Edwin

okay, I didnt express myself clearly, I dont think Erics shot is over sharpened, I do think that I'm seeing sharpness as being the over riding factor in wildlife photography, as I said, maybe its just me

You are right about that one Steve. But in this picture I think the bird needs to be in focus and sharp.
In the first post I see the sharpness is there. All you have to do is take it out a bit.
But I agree, the moment it self is the most importent.

Edwin

Excellent shot and the repost looks spot on on my screen

Grand job Eric - repost looks good to me too

I actually agree with you Steve re: over-sharpening and I am still getting used to the idea that it seems necessary to re-work a picture every time you use it for a different purpose. The limits (or advantages) of digital I guess. I have to admit that whenever I pick a book up these days I find myself thinking that many pictures aren't perfectly sharp and then when I look at the techs underneath they were taken on film. I think we do look for a sharper image from digital. Thanks for the C&C.
Eric

Very nice, especially the second version where the additional sharpening has also boosted the contrast a little. As Edwin said, you are fortunate in getting this bird on a perch.

very nice though the sawn of branch is perhaps a little distracting

An isolated Dunnock...you lucky git

Repost looks spot onto me too. Nice processing

I sat behind the camera all day and never saw one until late afternoon, this popped up just long enough for three quick shots. Now all I need is to find a better looking perch as Edwin rightly says. I'd only nicked that branch off thirty minutes earlier because it kept ruining my chaffinch shots. You never know what's round the corner do you?
Eric

Nice and not easy to get one in the open...

Hi Eric

I like the repost a lot. I hadn't noticed the sawn off branch until it was mentioned, so it must be a minor nit. Great BG too.



Mark