# Blue Grosbeak **URL:** \ **Category:** Image Critiques\ **Tags:** birds\ **Created:** [April 25, 2019, 5:50pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/blue-grosbeak/5913 "2019-04-25T17:50:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Freeman](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/shirley_freeman/32/11361_2.png) [@Shirley\_Freeman](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Shirley_Freeman)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2019, 5:50pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/blue-grosbeak/5913/1 "2019-04-25T17:50:48Z")
![BlueGrosbeakOnLimb](https://images.naturephotographers.network/original/2X/6/63f52c8668a621a07b05d9e8ad907da0e4b9f91c.jpeg) ### What technical feedback would you like if any? Any advice you might have. I feel like I should have had a my aperture opened a bit more for the background, but I was fairly close (shooting through the window, and wanted all of the bird to be in focus). ### What artistic feedback would you like if any? Composition look okay? ### Pertinent technical details or techniques: I shot this with a Canon 7D Mark II, handheld, with Canon 100-400mm at 285mm, f8, 1/800, ISO 250. Cropped and edited (minor) in Lightroom, AI Clear and NIK. (If backgrounds have been removed, etc. please be honest with your techniques to help others learn) ###### If you would like your image to be eligible for a feature on the NPN Instagram (@NaturePhotoNet), add the tag ‘ig’ and leave your Instagram username below. ##### **_You may only download this image to demonstrate post-processing techniques._** ---
**Author:** ![Keith\_Bauer](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/keith_bauer/32/211_2.png) [@Keith\_Bauer](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Keith_Bauer)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2019, 6:02pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/blue-grosbeak/5913/2 "2019-04-25T18:02:36Z")
Shirley: This is a very nice image fo the Grosbeak. All the detail in the birds plumage are nice. You asked about aperture. Looks like f/8 worked find as you have all of the bird nicely within the DOF. The slight OOF part of the branch at the bottom of the frame is a bit distracting. Maybe a crop from the bottom. I’d also pull the crop down from the top a bit. Head turn isn’t ideal, but it is what you captured. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Freeman](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/shirley_freeman/32/11361_2.png) [@Shirley\_Freeman](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Shirley_Freeman)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2019, 6:16pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/blue-grosbeak/5913/3 "2019-04-25T18:16:58Z")
Thank you, Keith. I appreciate the feedback. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Freeman](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/shirley_freeman/32/11361_2.png) [@Shirley\_Freeman](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Shirley_Freeman)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2019, 6:31pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/blue-grosbeak/5913/4 "2019-04-25T18:31:16Z")
I took some other shots, same settings. This one he turned and looked at me. Do you think this is better? I questioned it because of the shadows. I appreciate your opinion. I am still learning. ![BlueGrosbeakLimbHeadTurn](https://images.naturephotographers.network/original/2X/0/00f7784b2f6aa538d5eda3ca43cd5563171e9802.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_Leggett](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/bill_leggett/32/1763_2.png) [@Bill\_Leggett](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Bill_Leggett)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2019, 7:55pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/blue-grosbeak/5913/5 "2019-04-25T19:55:26Z")
Shirley, I like your exposure and focus on the bird. @Keith_Bauer has a good suggestion for the crop, which also frames the bird better because you have more space for the bird to look into. And you could also add more room up there with content aware if you wanted. Actually I’m glad that you posted the other frame, which I much prefer. The direct look of the pose is quite nice. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Freeman](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/shirley_freeman/32/11361_2.png) [@Shirley\_Freeman](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Shirley_Freeman)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2019, 8:05pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/blue-grosbeak/5913/6 "2019-04-25T20:05:57Z")
Thank you, Bill. I think I like it best too. Do you think I would be crowding the bird on the second one if I do try to crop a little bit of the oof limb out? I really like the composition the way I have it on the second one, but still have some oof of the limb going on. ---
**Author:** ![Dennis\_Plank](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/dennis_plank/32/27033_2.png) [@Dennis\_Plank](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Dennis_Plank)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2019, 1:21am UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/blue-grosbeak/5913/7 "2019-04-26T01:21:03Z")
Yum! A very lovely bird and the plumage detail is utterly gorgeous, Shirley. Since the perch goes out of focus as it approaches the bottom of the frame, I think a tighter crop would minimize that as well as giving the bird a bit more prominence in the composition. ---
**Author:** ![Allen\_Sparks](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/allen_sparks/32/63507_2.png) [@Allen\_Sparks](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Allen_Sparks)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2019, 9:46am UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/blue-grosbeak/5913/8 "2019-04-26T09:46:05Z")
Hi Shirley, I like both these shots but prefer the second because of the head turn. The background looks nice - you made a good choice on aperture I think. I could see cropping some from the bottom as others have suggested. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Freeman](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/shirley_freeman/32/11361_2.png) [@Shirley\_Freeman](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Shirley_Freeman)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2019, 2:04pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/blue-grosbeak/5913/9 "2019-04-26T14:04:18Z")
Thank you all so very much. I do appreciate your help. ---
**Author:** ![David\_Schoen](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/david_schoen/32/368_2.png) [@David\_Schoen](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/David_Schoen)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2019, 3:39pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/blue-grosbeak/5913/10 "2019-04-27T15:39:36Z")
Really superb detail and color on this image Shirley. I like both of them equally. Ideally, you might want one with the head position in between the two that you shot but you can’t control that. Both are well composed with pleasing perches and superb backgrounds. ---
**Author:** ![Phil\_Hodgkins](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/phil_hodgkins/32/3580_2.png) [@Phil\_Hodgkins](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Phil_Hodgkins)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2019, 1:12am UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/blue-grosbeak/5913/11 "2019-04-28T01:12:18Z")
Shirley, I like the second best. I do agree with cropping the OOF part of the limb out, but as for the rest, whatever you are most comfortable with is the ticket. A fine and well detailed image of a bird I have only seen once and that only of the birds back side!😄 ---
**Author:** ![Allen\_Brooks](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/allen_brooks/32/390_2.png) [@Allen\_Brooks](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Allen_Brooks)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2019, 3:45pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/blue-grosbeak/5913/12 "2019-04-28T15:45:06Z")
Beautiful colors and detail. I think I prefer the pose on the second one with the bird looking at you.