The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
I got out onto the water today and had a great time with the many extremely busy pairs of Red-winged blackbirds. Seems like everyone had yammering kids begging for food and it was all they could do to keep them satisfied. This momma was hard at work as I drifted closer to her in the kayak. I’ve never photographed these guys well before, but when they’re distracted by distressed kids, they are pretty tolerant.
Specific Feedback
I processed this quickly, but I think it looks fairly decent. Thoughts? Gotta love that face though, right?
Technical Details
Handheld w/CPL
Lr for a smallish crop, raised blacks quite a bit and massaged color with the Calibration panel. Added texture and clarity to the bird as well as lifting the mid-tones with a mask on just her - I like the color control option in the curves adjustment for masks - new today, I think. A little vibrance & saturation and traditional sharpening & nr. Photoshop to deal with some distractions. It pays to experiment with the different remove tools since the new one did a lousy job, but delete and fill did fine. Weird.
Very intense portrait with a photogenic perch! Actually, she looks a little dangerous. I think the square crop suits the pose well, and the soft BG is lovely.
Nice to know bug-control is in full gear, but it’s never enough for the humans in the picture, I’m sure. I didn’t realize the females had this much color, but I’m not sure I’ve noticed them in breeding season, if there is a difference in plumage.
Absolutely love that look you’re getting. For my part, I think the females are much prettier than the males. Such intricate, striking markings. Amazing you were able to get her without a ton of reeds and other distractions in the frame. Good catch.
Thanks @Diane_Miller & @terryb - I hadn’t realized how intricate their markings were either until I got this close. They also sing differently than the males when spooked or using a communication call - I noticed that yesterday, too. Of course we know the male’s territory warning call, but he also uses a communication call with her and the youngsters. It was cool to hear.
The lake I was paddling is really a very big bog so had lots of bushes and smaller trees like tamaracks and black spruce - no reeds at all. Lots of wild cranberry, pitcher plants and bog rosemary and cotton. Some blue flag and a weird yellow flower I have to ID. I love bogs.
Thanks @Allen_Sparks - head on is always fun when it works out in terms of focus and DOF. Glad for my M 4/3 advantage there. Another observation from yesterday involves the females and that is that many of them let me approach so close I could have almost touched them with the paddle. The males would sometimes come to me if I sat still long enough, but none would let me get close to them directly. The females that did were mostly resting or preening. Unfortunately they like to do it in tight branches so photo opps were slim, but they were fun to watch and be with.
Oh and they eat a crap ton of dragonflies this time of year!
It’s funny, now when I’m out taking pictures I have the improved Photoshop remove tools in the back of my mind. This setting had a few intruding branches that magically disappeared!
I really like the head on look of the blackbird, Kris. I do think I’d remove the out-of-focus branch on the left. The crossed in-focus sticks lead right to the blackbird, but that one just doesn’t work for me.
Our Camera Club had a field trip to Wolf Haven International (just a few miles from here) last week and this is what one of our old pros did with that remove tool. I thought it was pretty cool.
That is very cool. Amazing what can be done now. We have wolves nearby, but I’ve only ever heard them. Not often, but when they sing, it brings you up in goosebumps.
