The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
I’ve occasionally seen one of these guys with an orange/yellow coloration. It’s said to come from their diet – not eating his beets? This is the one for this year. I’ve been seeing him for a while and think he’s a juvenile.
Almost nothing done. Slight punch in contrast for the BG and two small areas lightened slightly with 50% opacity cloning. Topaz Denoise and cropped from the edges to 8x10.
Critique Template
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Nice one, Diane. Excellent detail with a complementary background. Nice angled perch as well. I see these colored finches occasionally as well. I looked it up and the color is related to the carotenoid pigments in their diet. Apparently the females prefer the reddest males, so this guy better change his diet.
Gorgeous and that light! I like his apricot variation, but maybe the ladies won’t like him so much. Works well for the background and I like the perch, too. A perfect beauty.
Very nice, Diane. I like the background and the head turn is just perfect. Excellent detail. I could be wrong, but that beak looks rather beat up for a juvenile and I usually see the fleshy fold of the gape at the base of the beak well into fall.
Diane:
Nice look at this orange yellow house finch. We have a lot of red purple and non-colored males around here so this is a treat to see a different coloration. I think he’s just that color and not a juvenile. Would love to see the DNA that got to this…..
Wow! Now this is something to aspire to! I mean the details are outstanding! BG - perfectly isolating the bird on it’s perch. You nailed this in every way - including masterful processing (well, you said there wasn’t much… which means masterful job with the camera and shooting!)
Must be the week for Finches - I’ve got a Goldfinch coming up. Nothing like this though…
Thanks, @Allen_Brooks, @Kris_Smith, @Dennis_Plank, @David_Schoen and @Lon_Overacker! Lon, the detail is all in getting close and having enough SS for the platform. I’m almost always on a sturdy tripod and that lens is very sharp even with the 2X. I never sharpen anything except the microscopic amount that Topaz Denoise does in Low Light mode with the default settings. And there is a point at which the inherent noise of a high ISO will swamp fine detail beyond recovery, so I try to keep the ISO within reason.
Here’s another shot from 10 days before that made me think it’s a juvie – just a screenshot of the 100% view in LR, with the LR Denoise run at default.
Just a delightful image. Great little bird on a great stick with a wonderful bakcground. I always read every little comment. You are such a gold mine of knowledge. I sometimes wish you woud post something not so gorgeous to give me something different to write about.
