The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
House wrens are highly active, mouse-like birds. I caught this one ready to vault off of the hummingbird perch. I was tinkering with some fill flash and tried to use the compensation from the flash rather than camera body. I found that at times, the Z9 appeared to be heavy handed when controlling the flash directly.
Specific Feedback
I thought maybe a bit more contrast would work. How do you feel about this?
Technical Details
Z9 600mm f4 (1/800 sec at f8.0, ISO 2000, fill at -2.0ev) DeNoise, slight Crop for Comp, Levels, Microcontrast enhancement, Brightness & Contrast.
Critique Template
Use of the template is optional, but it can help spark ideas.
Oh yeah - this is a springy bird for sure. Amazing view of that coiled energy. They’re so darn loud for their size, too. Like spring peepers. Super detail as always.
So…I’ve contemplated using a flash with my family of nuthatches, but I worry about bugging them or possibly confusing them somehow with this unnatural burst of light. I take it that’s an unfounded worry. Can you give any other tips or advice? I have one flash with a remote trigger that I can use if needed - setting up on a tripod or something. Thoughts?
Thank you @Dennis_Plank , @Diane_Miller , @Allen_Sparks , and @Kris_Smith for your critiques. Even though wrens are not that colorful, they have that energy about them that makes very photogenic. @Kris_Smith , set your flash at -1.7 to -2.0 ev and if your flash has zoom capabilities, then set it fot 50mm or wider to provide more wide coverage of the added light. Some birds are more skittish than others, but they will get used to it. I also use a flash extender which is needed for when the photographer uses long lenses. I find that the best situation for fill flash is when natural lighting is diffuse like on a cloudy or hazy day. The wren was photographed in early morning light on a very cloudy morning. Using the flash mounted away from the camera body will reduce steely or red eye. Hope this helps…Jim
@Kris_Smith – I put the flash on a stand and put a diffusion screen well in front of it – maybe halfway between it and the bird. (Some engineering is involved.) The closer to the bird the softer the light. If I’m on TTL mode, a low power preflash is fired which will spook them for a while and you’ll get them in mid-jump, but they have always gotten used to it pretty quickly. But I avoid that by setting it to M power. It takes some fiddling each time to get it right but can generally be done while the subject is busy elsewhere.
