# Don't behead that Echinacea! **URL:** \ **Category:** Image Critiques\ **Tags:** plant-life, birds\ **Created:** [September 9, 2026, 9:28pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/dont-behead-that-echinacea/52227 "2026-09-09T21:28:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**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:** [September 9, 2026, 9:28pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/dont-behead-that-echinacea/52227/1 "2026-09-09T21:28:55Z")
![Original - -20260906-_SA17953-Yardbirds-Edit-Edit.jpg](https://images.naturephotographers.network/original/3X/4/f/4f4594d90df37d46078b670bde0c204355d9c6d7.jpeg) **Critique Style:** Standard The photographer is looking for thoughtful feedback on the image as a whole, especially around the areas noted below. **Feedback Focus:** Artistic + Technical ### About This Image A few days ago we had large numbers of juvenile goldfinches in the Echinacea. Now, they’re pretty much gone. I did manage to get some time with this bird before it decided to move on. The birding gurus insist that they’ll overwinter in this area, but I’ve never seen one and we have a lot of them in the summer. ### Feedback Requested This was taking relatively early in the morning, but it was clear and the sun was already pretty bright. I spent a fair amount of time trying to alleviate the harshness and hopefully it was reasonably successful. Most of the frames I got, the bird’s mouthful was pretty messy and I chose this one because it was obvious it had found something, but it’s nice and compact. Does that part work? I also deliberately left in an array of the echinacea heads to give a feel for the garden area. ### Technical Details Camera: SONY ILCE-1 Lens: FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS + 1.4X Teleconverter Focal length: 840mm Shutter speed: 1/2000s Aperture: f/9 ISO: 1600 ---
**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:** [September 9, 2026, 9:54pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/dont-behead-that-echinacea/52227/2 "2026-09-09T21:54:42Z")
I’m very envious, Dennis. My kind of shot. It’s both a great behavioral and environmental shot. Excellent composition with a great background. Nice light as well. Maybe you’re too far north. I do see some in the winter months, though the Lesser Goldfinch is more prevalent.. ---
**Author:** ![Lon\_Overacker](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/lon_overacker/32/10929_2.png) [@Lon\_Overacker](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Lon_Overacker)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2026, 4:04am UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/dont-behead-that-echinacea/52227/3 "2026-09-10T04:04:42Z")
Dennis, So much to like about this one. The light is beautiful lighting both the bird and the flower heads. The colors are all complimentary with the golden earth tones and the pale green in the bg. And then there’s the story, the environment that is captured so beautifully. I sense pending “action.” Maybe it’s me, butthe bird seems ever so slightly soft, most notably picked up around the eye and head feathers. It doesn’t change the empact or impact of this lovely photo ---
**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:** [September 10, 2026, 2:13pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/dont-behead-that-echinacea/52227/4 "2026-09-10T14:13:31Z")
Thanks Lon. I noticed the face when I was culling, but the catch light was nice and sharp and the face looked the same in every frame. I think it’s just the nature of the feathers, though I could try playing with that area a bit. ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_Zablotny](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/jim_zablotny/32/3919_2.png) [@Jim\_Zablotny](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Jim_Zablotny)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2026, 1:50pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/dont-behead-that-echinacea/52227/5 "2026-09-11T13:50:46Z")
The head is slightly soft, only visible when examining the larger versions. I like the comp with the bird munching away on the seeds. In our yard, they go after Tithonia, Silphium, and sunflower seeds. Well done with the difficult lighting…Jim ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_Fach](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/bill_fach/32/78290_2.png) [@Bill\_Fach](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Bill_Fach)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2026, 3:45pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/dont-behead-that-echinacea/52227/6 "2026-09-11T15:45:43Z")
Dennis: As you know I’m not a bird guy but I do like this a lot for the subject, light and color palette. The only thing about the overall image is the OOF flower head in the LLC. The two real soft heads don’t bug me that much. OTOH, the clarity of the dead head on the right edge suits me fine, maybe just a pinch more room there. This really says “Autumn” to me and I hope these little beauties stick around for you. \>=))\> ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morrissey](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/peter_morrissey/32/683_2.png) [@Peter\_Morrissey](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Peter_Morrissey)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2026, 7:26pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/dont-behead-that-echinacea/52227/7 "2026-09-12T19:26:52Z")
Hi Dennis Everything is clean. The morning sun on the Echinacea and the Goldfinch looks good. What is supporting the Echinacea head that the Goldfinch is on? Peter ---
**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:** [September 12, 2026, 8:43pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/dont-behead-that-echinacea/52227/8 "2026-09-12T20:43:28Z")
Unfortunately, Peter, the stem is completely hidden behind the foreground heads. Good catch. ---
**Author:** ![Huw\_Thomas](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/huw_thomas/32/87850_2.png) [@Huw\_Thomas](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Huw_Thomas)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2026, 1:55pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/dont-behead-that-echinacea/52227/9 "2026-09-13T13:55:11Z")
stunning shot @Dennis_Plank The crisp focus, lovely limited autumnal palette and gorgeous light. Really wonderful portrait Huw ---
**Author:** ![Elizabeth](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/elizabeth/32/69090_2.png) [@Elizabeth](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Elizabeth)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2026, 3:05pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/dont-behead-that-echinacea/52227/10 "2026-09-13T15:05:58Z")
This is such a beautiful image. The soft gold and green background is especially lovely and really sets off the bird and the echinacea. I think the bit of plant material in the bird’s mouth works very well—it adds interest and gives a nice sense of what the bird is doing. I also like having the different echinacea heads included, since they give the image a real sense of the garden environment. One small thing I noticed is that the plant on the far right is just slightly cut off. Do you have a little more room in the original frame? Overall, though, this is a really lovely, engaging image with a wonderful natural feel. ---
**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:** [September 13, 2026, 11:25pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/dont-behead-that-echinacea/52227/11 "2026-09-13T23:25:42Z")
Lovely setting for this image Dennis. Love the soft multi-colored background and all the spent flowerheads. Bird is greatly positioned. I do see the softness that Jim mentions but this is still a fine capture. ---
**Author:** ![Dave\_Douglass](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/dave_douglass/32/5332_2.png) [@Dave\_Douglass](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Dave_Douglass)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2026, 6:34pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/dont-behead-that-echinacea/52227/12 "2026-09-15T18:34:38Z")
I like this capture a lot. Interesting subject, and OOF background. Did you try to sharpen its head some? Curious. ---
**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:** [September 15, 2026, 8:13pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/dont-behead-that-echinacea/52227/13 "2026-09-15T20:13:13Z")
No., I didn’t try to sharpen the head. I sometimes increase microcontrast, but almost never use sharpening. I don’t believe the head is really soft, I think it just has very fluffy feathers there since I took quite a few images and no matter how sharp the eye was the side of the face looked soft.