The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
Usually we have several pairs in and around the yard and even though they’re common as dirt, I still love to watch their antics. So lively and always doing something. Right now a female (possibly this one) is building a nest high in a tree, but in a place I can easily see and photograph (from the couch if I was so inclined) so you will see more of this girl and her guy, and with any luck, the kids. Unless leaves block the view, which seems likely.
Anyway, when I saw they’d return to this ancient tip up (these are decayed tree roots sticking up), I positioned myself to catch a shot the next time. I like it for its relative distinction in terms of perch and setting and the light - I think it shows her subtle coloring well. Robins in the woods are industrious and always poking at something, usually the leaf litter in search of tasty snacks.
Specific Feedback
I know the bg is a bit bright and I did my best to tone it down. Moving to right or left introduced distractions in the form of branches in between me and the stump. Maybe on a less sunny day I’ll try again since I know they like this perch. Any other field ideas or processing improvements I could make for this photo?
Technical Details
Handheld sitting on the ground
Lr for basic processing including some masking to pull bg brightness down. It needed a touch lower exposure, the usual S-curve, but no texture or clarity since I wanted a softer look. Ran it through Topaz Sharpen for some detail. A 4:5 crop in portrait orientation.
Hi Kris. I like the background as posted. The perch is great and as Peter mentioned, there’s a nobility about the pose. My only wish is for a bit more light in the eye.
This is the method I have to use because I’m just not that skilled or that lucky with most birds.
Robins are so neat, their behavior is somewhat predictable and they tend to stay in one place for relatively long periods of time if they’ve claimed an area as their territory.
We have a pair that have taken over an ivy covered arch made of hand laced vines above a gate to our donkey coral. Whenever we go through that gate, the Robins get all fussy and just want us to go away!
I’ll try to get a shot of one of ours but I doubt I’ll be able to get one as good as this.
I really like the pose and the perch, the details are great and the BG looks fine to me!
The highlights in the BG appear to have been dealt with quite well.
The only thing I can think of if you want to use this perch and perspective for another try at it, is to see if you can find a branch with a few leaves on it to use as a cover for the area that’s bright in the BG.
I’ve been known to use landscaping fabric to cover bright areas that might show up in the BG just to knock down the specular light during the shot, then remove the cloth afterward, something to consider anyway and I’m sure there are other materials that would work just as good.
Hi Kris, nice pose you have captured here. Good sharpness with details in the shadows. I also like the perch. My main suggestion for improvement concerns the lighting angle - sun appears to be nearly overhead in this shot. I’m wondering what this image would look light with the sun coming at a lower angle from behind your back. In any event, this is a fine capture.
Thanks @peter, @Dennis_Plank, @Merv & @Allen_Sparks - they are all quite busy and so I was glad to have caught her so nicely posed. Yes, earlier or later would have been better and I may try again if the light cooperates (cloudy and rainy, so not today). As the undergrowth fills in I won’t be able to get a clear shot to this for much longer, but I’m glad I had a go. I tried a radial gradient to open the eye and it didn’t help much and so I’m going to leave it and try to do this again in better light.
