# Happy Fall Equinox **URL:** \ **Category:** Image Critiques\ **Tags:** birds\ **Created:** [September 22, 2026, 5:31pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/happy-fall-equinox/52340 "2026-09-22T17:31:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**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 22, 2026, 5:31pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/happy-fall-equinox/52340/1 "2026-09-22T17:31:14Z")
![Original - Red-breasted Nuthatch-NPN.jpg](https://images.naturephotographers.network/original/3X/6/a/6a31d1abe5b57eb4c386cb8881c80cff23429f94.jpeg) _Red-breasted Nuthatch_ ![Black-capped Chickadee](https://images.naturephotographers.network/original/3X/e/1/e168fbf304b9d55ccfc0351071ef55389b9dafe6.jpeg) _Black-capped Chickadee_ **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 I liked these images for the addition of fall colors. Wish the nuthatch’s beak wasn’t behind a branch, but that’s the way it goes sometimes. ### Feedback Requested Any thoughts appreciated ### Technical Details Camera: Canon R5 Lens: 100-500 Focal length: 500mm/300 mm Shutter speed: 1/1000 Aperture: f10 ISO: 800/3200 ---
**Author:** ![Preston\_Birdwell](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/preston_birdwell/32/374_2.png) [@Preston\_Birdwell](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Preston_Birdwell)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2026, 5:50pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/happy-fall-equinox/52340/2 "2026-09-22T17:50:40Z")
Autumn has officially arrived! Yay! Lovely little birds nicely photographed in wonderful light. I wonder if you could use ‘content aware fill’ to remove the twig in Nuthatch image. Even with the twig, the bird looks nice and sharp and a glint in the eye. The Chickadee is nicely done too, but you might want to tone down that bright spot on the uppermost leaf. Happy Autumn, sir! -P ---
**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 22, 2026, 6:26pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/happy-fall-equinox/52340/3 "2026-09-22T18:26:00Z")
> [@Preston\_Birdwell](#): > > I wonder if you could use ‘content aware fill’ to remove the twig in Nuthatch image. Thanks, Preston. I did attempt this, but the result was not natural looking in terms of the beak. ---
**Author:** ![Preston\_Birdwell](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/preston_birdwell/32/374_2.png) [@Preston\_Birdwell](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Preston_Birdwell)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2026, 6:31pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/happy-fall-equinox/52340/4 "2026-09-22T18:31:10Z")
That thought did occur to me, Allen but I felt it was worth an attempt. Nice try, though. -P ---
**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 23, 2026, 8:30pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/happy-fall-equinox/52340/5 "2026-09-23T20:30:00Z")
Hi Allen, fine catches on both. Love the feel of Fall in these images. It’s starting to cool down here starting today. 🙂 I took a shot at removing the branch in the nuthatch image using the remove tool (with AI on) and using a selection of the nuthatch inversed once the beak was created. Just for grins really - here it is below: ![Allen B - Red-breasted Nuthatch-NPN - AS](https://images.naturephotographers.network/original/3X/b/4/b4fe36c0975e7413fda818d2cfa46914562af2c1.jpeg) ---
**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 23, 2026, 8:45pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/happy-fall-equinox/52340/6 "2026-09-23T20:45:55Z")
A couple of fine fall images, Allen. Our trees are starting to turn here-more the ornamentals than the natives, but we have a vine maple that’s started turning and shedding a few leaves. The light in these has almost a bright October feel to it. The chickadee image feels like the brighter parts could come down a bit-that leaf in the upper left is definitely an eye catcher. ---
**Author:** ![Glenys\_Passier](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/glenys_passier/32/33963_2.png) [@Glenys\_Passier](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Glenys_Passier)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2026, 10:39pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/happy-fall-equinox/52340/7 "2026-09-23T22:39:05Z")
Things on the other end of the earth are starting to warm up here, considerably. Just cool enough to put a flannie on in the early morning that is stripped off by 9.00am. I love both these little bird images. Great detail on both birds. I would be soooo tempted to take out the obstructing twig in the first image. Love the pose and composition. In the second image I might consider cropping out that brighter leaf from the top and then a little slice off the LHS to take care of that brighter branch. ---
**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 27, 2026, 12:17am UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/happy-fall-equinox/52340/8 "2026-09-27T00:17:51Z")
Allen, Wonderful autumn environment images with these little guys. Great autumn color and feeling in both. Yeah, too back about the beak being blocked, but Wow, @Allen_Sparks pulled off the AI removal. Very cool! Other than toning down the bright spots in the 2nd image that has already been mentioned, these are wonderful captures! ---
**Author:** ![anne4](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/53a042/32.png) [@anne4](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/anne4)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2026, 3:17am UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/happy-fall-equinox/52340/9 "2026-09-27T03:17:51Z")
Murphey’s first law of photography, for every great shot of a bird, there must be a twig in the way. With some birds, tha like to stay in the thicket, it is very difficult to avoid, even by moving around. Do you have any other images of this bird taken that day? Generative fill is not always the best go to for moving items over a subject. Sometimes, using and manipulating the clone tool sampling from the second image, can replace the obscured part of the beak, with the beak from the second image where the whole beak shows…or simply copy and paste it then use a layer mask or feathered eraser to blend it in. Generative fill should work for the stick agains the background but often leaves lines at the edges of the fill, the clone tool on a lower percentage flow can fix this. It may then be possible to either Gen Fill the lighter and red foliage in the background…or change the colour of the red. Maybe even clone on another layer and use transparency to blend it in. The shot itself is sharp, the whites and blacks rendered well. There is light in the birds eye which is sharp with plenty of feather detail.