Gray Crowned Rosy Finch (2)

Image Critiques
1

WhistlerRosyOutlook.jpg
WhistlerRosyOutlook.jpg2000×1383 1010 KB

WhistlerRosyFinchTDS
WhistlerRosyFinchTDS2000×1378 1.03 MB

Critique Style Requested: Standard

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

Description

This was a new lifer for my wife and I when we spotted it at the top of the Whistler Mountain Gondola Lift in June. I couldn’t believe how calm and collected it was with dozens of people walking all around it. Of course, my wife and I were the only birders there, everyone else was busy with the Olympic rings and the marmots at the time.

Specific Feedback

I know this is kind of a pedestrian image with the bird on the grass, but I’ve never seen one before. . . It was up a slight incline and I tried to get as low as I could to get a better perspective. Your thoughts and suggestions are welcomed.

Technical Details

  1. Canon R5, f10, 1/640s, iso500, 100-500+1.4tc at 700mm, cropped for composition.
  2. R5, f20, 1/640s, iso1250, 700mm, Topaz denoise and sharpen, cropped for composition.

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2

Hi Ed. One I’ve yet to encounter as well and I like it for that reason. You mentioned getting as low as possible, yet somehow both give the impression of looking down on the bird. Backing up can sometimes help in cases like that, particularly if you have the room and the zoom to make it work. Does the R5 have bird-eye AF? The head of the bird in both shots doesn’t look as sharp as the side.

Still a good record shot of a life bird. I’d save it if it were mine.

3

Thank you for your thoughts on this @Dennis_Plank. I was just starting to learn what the new camera would do when I got this. Missed opportunity. Learning moment. I wasn’t sure why I was having such a hard time getting a good focus on this bird, but I knew it at the time. This was the same time I got all of the pictures of the fighting marmots, and they came out pretty well.

4

Congrats on the lifer. Always exciting. Not a bird I can recall seeing being posted on NPN. I think I prefer the pose on the second image. As Dennis said, a keeper for sure. I’ve dedicated a back button for eye auto-focus, which usually works pretty well.

5

Thank you @Allen_Brooks. That’s a good idea on the back button. I will try that.

7

Thank you @Sandy_Richards-Brown. I tried the back button for tracking focus, but wasn’t very good at it. My thumb was too big and I kept hitting other buttons. I will try again to switch to the eye focus feature.

8

Congrats on the lifer Ed! I’ve never even heard of this bird so this is a treat to see. Agree with comments above on focus areas.

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