Critique Style Requested: Standard
The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
The Loggerhead Shrike has normally been skittish, and so rarely seen very close to the house. I was able to see this guy at our birdbath this morning, grabbed my camera and got a few shots bathing, but I really like this one when he got out of the water and looked right at me. I just love face-on shots of birds.
Specific Feedback
He was more centered, and I had more room at the top, so I cropped it in just a little for this composition. Does it work for you?
Technical Details
Canon R5, Sigma 150-600mm Contemporary EF mount with adapter, f6.3, 1/3200, ISO (auto) 5000. It was cloudy and a mist of rain off and on So the lighting wasn’t the best. I edited in LR working on noise and then the basic edits shadows/highlights, etc., and then the crop. I had a spot of green (dandelion) that I used NIK to fix.
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Great shot, Shirley. I too love the expression on his face. He looks like he is wondering what you’re doing. I did notice a white spot just to the left of his black tail feather, is this also part of the tail? Just a bit distracting, is it possible to burn it down just a bit? Nicely seen and captured.
Good catch, Linda. It caused me to see some areas under the bird that looks like didn’t come out so good with my masking. I think I have a better shot to put up later. I appreciate that. Not sure what the white are is, I thought it was the tail and wondered if I should calm it down, then moved on and forgot about it.
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Now that’s a place I wouldn’t look for a shrike, Shirley. The shot certainly works for me and it’s a nice looking bird bath. I hope you got some other good ones as well.
Thank you, Dennis. You are right, it isn’t a place I have ever seen a shrike. The birdbath, well, there is a story with that. Christmas Eve night someone came in my yard and stole my old one! Never ever have we ever had that happen before. Our neighbor right next to us had all kinds of valuable stuff out in his yard (skill saw, things like that he hadn’t put away that day. Anyway, I found this one online and ordered it. Thank you.
He does look irritated! I think you could crop in even closer from the top and left to show off the expression even better. Nice catch!!
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Hi Shirley, awesome that you caught a shrike at your bird bath. I have zero photos of shrike. I like the composition and those wet feathers. Maybe some clean up in the back and that bright spot already mentioned would help but this is very nice as is.
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Shirley, this is a cool image. I really like it. Straight on, the bird has characteristics of an off color Tree Swallow I photographed last spring. Great image.
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Thank you all. The Loggerhead Shrike is a meat eating bird. I have seen him with a baby snake, maybe 8-10 inches long, and he was beating it on a tree limb. Our Mockingbirds don’t like any other birds in the yard, but the Loggerhead pays them no attention. They aren’t leaving. Mostly around in the winter months. I guess our yard provides the type of meals they like.
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