Feeding Time

Image Critiques Avian Critiques
1

Western Bluebird-In flight-NPN.jpg
Western Bluebird-In flight-NPN.jpg2500×1666 894 KB

Critique Style Requested: Standard

The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.

Description

I think this falls under the heading of dumb luck. Not sure how the shutter speed ended up at 1/8000, but it worked. I’ve been monitoring this nest box for several years and this is the first year the Western Bluebirds beat out the Violet-green Swallows. This female landed on top of the nest box with a grub of some sort and I took some shots when she took off and was surprised that something actually came out okay.

Specific Feedback

Any thoughts appreciated.

Technical Details

Canon R5; 100-500 at 500 mm; 1/8000 at f10; ISO 6400

Critique Template

Use of the template is optional, but it can help spark ideas.

  • Vision and Purpose:
  • Conceptual:
  • Emotional Impact and Mood:
  • Composition:
  • Balance and Visual Weight:
  • Depth and Dimension:
  • Color:
  • Lighting:
  • Processing:
  • Technical:
1 Like
2

Dumb luck or not, you got a great shot out of this, Allen. that wing position and the curve to the body is just awesome. Beautiful image.

2 Likes
3

Wow. Just wow. Right place, right time, right expertise. That’s the magical formula.

1 Like
4

Allen: In my experience luck happens for the well prepared. Spectacular capture in every respect. Most excellent. >=))>

1 Like
5

Wow terrific! Love the in flight pose and the overall setting says parental behavior. Well done.

1 Like
6

Gorgeous behavior so well caught. Luck favours the prepared! Great pose with the wings andy body pushed to the limit.

It’s great when human efforts actually work in the wild. I have several nest boxes around my paddock. The possums find them before the birds.

1 Like
7

Wonderful!! There is an element of luck in every photograph, but it’s useless without being prepared, and you get a perfect score for that! Perfect pose and detail on the bird and the framing shows the environment so nicely!

1 Like
8

What a shot, Allen. Really nice. I think that fast shutter speed actually helped.

1 Like
9

If not everybody’s, certainly my dream of a picture. I recently moved and installed a first nesting box in my small garden. It worked with a family of great tits. I will have to work on making pictures next year… As sais by others, luck comes only to the well prepared. I am interested to know what the AF settings were of your camera. If these are right, luck does a bit of the rest.
I had a great moment looking at your picture. And am looking forward to more.
Xavier

1 Like
10

Thanks for commenting, Xavier. The AF setting is what Canon calls “Expand AF area”, a slightly larger area than “spot”. I was prepared in the sense I knew where to stand and that there were young in the nest and the parents would be coming by to feed them. The luck was that somehow the shutter speed was set at 1/8000 second to freeze to action. I didn’t purposely set that speed.