The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
This is an old one from 2015 when I spent a fair part of a long photography trip in Texas and in this case, at Falcon Lake on the Rio Grande. I was going through images from that trip for a project yesterday and actually noticed the second image of this post with those weird eye shields or whatever they are. I’ve seen somewhat similar things on swallows, but nothing anywhere near as extravagant as this. That second image is a large crop, so it’s just shy of 100%.
Specific Feedback
This post is more for natural history interest than as an artistic photograph, but any comments are still welcome.
Technical Details
Both images taken with a Canon 7DII, EF 500 f/4 with 1.4 TC, tripod with gimbal head, f/5.6, i/125, iso 1250, aperture priority. The first one cropped to 2906x3634, the second to 1820x2149 (including a touch of canvas added at the top). Both were taken on March 3rd, 2015 under drizzly skies.
Amazing!! I’ve photographed Green Jays down there but don’t remember ever seeing one like this! Looks like some of the outrageous false eyelashes that are so outré today.
I’d say the artistic quality is quite good. Be interesting to know the purpose of those eye feathers. Maybe it provides some sun shading for the eye. Definitely a bird I would like to see and photograph.
Not too difficult to get this one in South Texas, Allen. It comes to feeding stations, but lots of places have pretty bad setups so backgrounds can be pretty ugly. I suspect places like Laguna Seca would be excellent. This was taken at a very small preserve right on the Rio Grande about 5 miles east of Falcon Lake State Park, the name of which temporarily escapes me. Just found it. It’s called Salineno and is part of the USFWS Kepler tract. If you get the Texas Birding Trail map, it’s on there.
Hi Dennis, I think these turned out quite well and those eyelashes are really something else. Exposure looks spot on. I’ve never seen this species IRL so these are a treat.
I’ve never seen one of these either so it’s very cool not only to see photo #1, but the second with the eye shades. Very interesting adaptation and one I don’t remember hearing about ever. Exposure and sharpness look right where they should be. I imagine like other jays/corvids, they will come to feeders easily. Really cool feather patterns on this one.
