I was in my blind a few days ago and was surprised to have two of these drop in for a minute or two. This one posed for me in a couple of places-one brightly lit with a dark background and the other shaded with a bright background. A typically uncooperative Jay!
Specific Feedback Requested
The light was pretty harsh on this even with fill flash and I’d like to know how you think it looks. I’m also interested in how the blacks come across as I had a difficult time balancing them.
Technical Details
Is this a composite: No
Sony A1, FE200-600 + 1.4 TC @ 560 mm, tripod with gimbal head from blind, f/9, 1/1600, iso 1250, fill flash at -2 EV, manual exposure. Processed in LR & PS CC. Cropped a bit off the right and bottom and added some to the top, final size was 7224x5192. A bit of work on the background to eliminate some brighter areas. Taken at 9:42 AM on August 21st under fairly sunny skies.
How cute! I don’t think I’ve seen a young stellar jay before. I think it looks really good and you have it lit up well despite the shadows. Beautiful capture on a very active bird!
Hi Dennis
The fill flash, makes lighting balance work. You even get a nice highlight in the eye. The black look good and the over all color and detail are very nice.
Peter
There is a lot to like about this image including the pose, head turn, and detail… That said, it is a little dark even with the fill flash and I know how critical you are about the black plumage. You might wish to fool around with some of the richness of the black plumage. The other issue for me is the brightness of the perch which pulls my eye towards the bottom of the image. Sorry to be so critical.
No problem, @David_Schoen. That’s why I’m on this forum. I agree about the perch in particular, but I haven’t figured out how to make light colored wood like that darken in a believable fashion. It always wants to turn gray.
I love the pose, lighting and colors @Dennis_Plank . Kind of an “active” portrait, as if it’s ready to spring up and lay away.
How far away was this little guy from you? Just curious as I think my bird shots are at too long a distance, even with my 1.5x crop sensor and 200-500 lens.
The little jay has given you a perfect pose, in my opinion! The dark bird on the dark background is very appealing.
Being an Aussie, I have no idea of the right colour for the jay, but perhaps there is another version with the bird, particularly his breast, just a little brighter. I think you’ve done a good job on the blacks. I agree with David about bringing down the brightness of the perch. It catches my eye just a little.
I hope I get to see some more of these beautiful birds!
I see in your comments that you’ve cropped some of the bottom. A little more breathing room perhaps? I’ve added more to the top and left. The perch has been darkened just a little and the bird and background both lightened. I’ve also moved your watermark that I found a little distracting where it was.
I’m late here – still underwater breathing through a straw. You have a very nice pose with good focus and detail here. @glennie hit it perfectly!!! Maybe she’ll reveal her secrets!!
Nice bird in a pleasant pose. A tat lighter works out nicely as shown, however the original to me personally is fine as presented. About the perch, I know someone who uses water to wetten the perches to make them darker. Of course this works in mute light, with sunlight there would be reflections… Just an idea, have never tried it myself as I am shooting 99% out in the field … Maybe you could give it a try someday ! Cheers, Hans
This is a nice shot of a juvenile Stellar Jay, Dennis. They are difficult birds to shoot as both the black and the blue feathers change drastically, depending on the lighting. The details are very good also. The bright branch is a little distracting but a little decrease in brightness with an equal increase in contrast will keep the detail in the branch & darken it without looking gray.
Hi @Mark_Muller. Sorry for the delayed response on the distance. When I set up my blind and feeding station, i put the nearest edge of the feeding station minimum focal distance for my lens at the time (about 10 feet). I built the pools later to one side so they’re about a foot further away. Shooting the pools I set back in the blind a bit so I’m guessing the distance was 12-14 feet. I can usually get about as close in the back yard by sitting in a chair or on a stool and using my tripod so I don’t have to raise a camera when the time comes to shoot. It takes the birds awhile to get used to you, but after an hour or so they go about their business as if you weren’t there, though some species and individuals are more wary than others.
… Maybe you could give it a try someday ! Cheers, Hans