This mom and fledgling Cedar Waxwing were hopping from my fence to my garden. I set up my camera and tripod, mom flew for more food but seemed reluctant to return. I covered myself with a camouflage mosquito net from a big box store and she returned. I was perfectly set up to get the faces of both birds and they decide t o move to the right a few inches.
What can I do to improve? I have a lot to learn and all help is appreciated. This is a crop down to about 25 percent, Is it too close? Thank you for looking.
I did clone out a few distracting leaves.
Canon 6dmkii,
Iso 1000, F 6.3
Sigma 150-600C @ 562mm
If you would like your image to be eligible for a feature on the NPN Instagram (@NaturePhotoNet), add the tag ‘ig’ and leave your Instagram username below.
Wouldn’t it be nice if the darn wildlife would be more considerate of our photography? I think it looks terrific, Brian. Good, clean shot exposed nicely, good detail and color, and I happen to like the poses of both birds. A+ shot, as far as I’m concerned! These are always fun, special moments to photograph.
Thank you Terry. I think I was the entertainment for my neighbors being covered up in Camo netting in my own backyard. I have another photo with the fledgling flapping wings and waiting to be fed but they were on top of a galvanized metal lid for a birdseed storage can in our yard.
This is a very nice shot of these Waxwings, Brian! The only thing I would suggest would be to crop it to a more vertical format with the right side a little closer to the birds than the left (since the adult bird is the dominant subject in this image and is facing left).
That’s what I would do, Brian. Just bring the right side fairly close to the adult bird’s tail feathers. Just don’t get so close that it looks like you almost clipped the feathers.
A very sweet frame. Love that we can see the berry so clearly, and the size disparity between the birds really tells the story. I think there a few things you could do to improve the image. The first is to try and get them on a natural perch a little further away from the background. That would help render the background more out of focus and put more emphasis on the birds. Next, is to resize the photo before posting. Something like 1600-1800 pixels on the long side will help with image quality. Last, is to try and get closer. The big crop has hurt the image quality here a bit.
Hi Lyle, thank you for the input. I never know how to size a photograph for optimum display. Another lesson learned. I wish I could have gotten closer but mom was pretty reluctant to be around me and I did not want to interfere with them. I was in my backyard with my tripod and camera and she would not return. I covered myself up with a camouflage mosquito net just leaving the end of my lens exposed and she returned a minute or two later. I appreciate your help .