The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
The berries are ripe and the birds have arrived and I am frustrated as usual. They seem to prefer working here when the light is miserable, and they are rarely out in the open. And burst mode at 20 fps will only catch the toss in one frame (if at all), and rarely in a good position. But I’ve gotten a few I like.
Specific Feedback
All comments welcome!
Technical Details
Cropped by about 50%; minor border patrol. Topaz Denoise Low Light; nothing heroic for processing.
Critique Template
Use of the template is optional, but it can help spark ideas.
That’s a pretty amazing capture with the berry in midair! It looks like you are getting the most out of the conditions! I do rather like the dullish blue BG, clean and no distractions! My brain wants to see a little more space between the top of the berry and the birds beak. But other than that the color, detail, and composition are excellent! I do like I can see the roof of the birds mouth from this angle.
Excellent, Diane. At least you’re not trying to catch it with glass plates! And the rejects are cheap. I particularly like how the color of the buds mimics that of the berries. The only thing I’d change in this is to move the scene a bit lower in the frame, something like this:
Hi Diane
I think your one set above glass plates. For a camera that has a rolling shutter problem, the berry looks round to me. I think lowering the bird in the frame looks nice.
Peter
Thanks, @Keith_Flood, @Dennis_Plank and @Peter_Morrissey! Here’s a RP with the frame adjusted to make the bird a bit lower – I do think it’s an improvement – thanks! I forgot to say, it’s about a 50% crop and it was just sky above so an easy adjustment. I also slightly burned the branch coming across the bird, to make it more like the branch on the right – it was lighter than I liked. Posted above.
Diane, I really like this. I’m sure trying to capture this action isn’t easy, so lots of missed shots are to be expected to get one like this. The RP made it even better.
Really nice shot.
You must have fun with these waxwings, Diane. Hard work, but you always get a goody or two, like this. I imagine we’ll get a couple more later? One showing the wing coloring would be great. Anyway, I love this shot with the berry so sharp.
Thanks, @Shirley_Freeman and @Dennis_Plank (again) and @Mike_Friel! Mike, this year has had the lowest ratio I’ve ever seen of the wingtip wax things. No Idea why. And an unusually high percentage of Robins.
Two days ago I was out there again but the light was harsh bright and I gave up after getting one lucky decent shot. Ran by today between errands and there were still some berries but no birds. By the time I got home an hour later there was wonderful soft light. The next week will be severe clear and the berries should be gone quickly. Enough greed for this year! But I can dig out a few more worth posting.
Absolutely beautiful image Diane. I really like this composition and to capture the berry mid-air, is the proverbial “icing on the cake”. Excellent image with the light you had!
Thats great! Waxwings, among other bird species, have been a nemesis. I used to have a choke cherry bush outside my office window where I’d occasionally see a few. I would keep my camera on my desk, but the window was tinted and really affected image quality, not that I ever had anything good to start with! I love the action in this and do agree that the slight crop is better. Good luck on getting more!
This caught my eye immediately!! Beautiful shot and great timing. I love the nice clean background, the diagonal branch, and of course the berry in mid air! I also like that the berry color is similar to color of the inside of the birds mouth.
Thanks, @Paul_Holdorf, @SandyR-B and @elizabeth! This tree was good this year, but the berries are gone now and so are the birds – I’ve only seem them briefly a few places in town, and never up here in our hills. I’ll be staking out the tree next December. The good pictures are proportional to the hours put in, at a low ratio.
At some minor medical appointment recently I was asked how long I could stand. I had no idea – I don’t usually just stand somewhere. Then the other day I realized I had been standing at this tree for over 3 hours – but mostly with my hands on the camera (on a tripod with a gimbal head) for a quick aim.
