The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
They’re back! Most of our woodpeckers overwinter here, but the Sapsuckers and Flickers head south. We had another tree split and twist down in a recent storm so have a new, 15-foot stump on the lawn that’s getting a lot of attention. It provides a rather unique opportunity since I can shoot out an open window straight to it. That’s the Wisconsin river behind him. While I was filming a video clip, the female came up and took his place hammering at the same spot. They are also checking out the highly-contested nest cavity on the other side of the yard. Funny.
Specific Feedback
So…one thing I’ll probably do is set up the tripod so I can quickly get a steadier position to shoot from. Also need to over expose more than I did here. But other than that, I’m happy to take advice on future sessions. As trees leaf out, there may be less water visible, but this is on the lawn so pretty open to the river itself.
Thoughts on processing also welcome.
Technical Details
Handheld, but braced and resting the lens on the window sill.
Lr for basic processing after running this through ON1 NoNoise. I used layers in that app to control the amount of NR & Sharpening in different areas of the photo. Compared to using it in one layer with a global adjustment, I like it better. In Lr I increased exposure a bit and the shadows and whites a lot. Blacks lowered just a bit and raised the mid-tones in a curves adjustment. Cropped quite a bit and massaged the color with wb and vibrance & saturation.
Critique Template
Use of the template is optional, but it can help spark ideas.
How lucky you are to have a window that requires all the effort it takes to just stand there, compose, focus, bracket, and all that stuff before you can take a perfect picture. I am wondering what your reason was for cropping as you did. The trunk and river occupy most of the composition. Just wondering.
A nice image of this flicker, Kris. I saw the full one you posted for Barbara and downloaded it. I ended up with a very similar crop to yours, for what that’s worth. It is pretty easy to clone over part or all of the broken off area with stuff from the bottom of the trunk that you’re not going to use, if you want to go to a horizontal, but I always thought woodpeckers perched like this deserved a vertical format. I would be hesitant to crop too closely as with the bird that small in the frame, the pixel peepers (us other bird photographers) are going to start talking about loss of detail.
Kris, It sure is nice to see the wildlife coming back. And right in your front yard, WOW. I really liked the shot you took and the crop. There are no distractions or interference from other objects. I wanted to see more of the Flicker myself. I cropped more from the top and bottom to bring out the Flickers colors and shape. It would be really nice if they decide to stay and make a home there.
Thanks @Allen_Sparks & @SkipsPics - the yard is crazy with wildlife sometimes so I’m darn lucky. Actually saw a bear with three cubs the other day when I went to check out the storm damage on a bit of the Ice Age Trail I volunteer to maintain. Alas no pics as I was in the car, but it’s nice to see a healthy young family around. Hope to get back there tomorrow as I saw all kinds of little songbirds that weren’t spooked when I just stood in the middle of the trail and watched them all around me. Can’t say I’ll get such a clear shot as this, but I’ll try!
What a great opportunity! I hope you can get some more shots of them. But it’s frustrating that 800mm equivalent is still not enough for portraits.
I wonder if you could set up a closer perch and try bark butter or suet. Since they are liking the stump they might check out the treats reliably. I think some woodpeckers will go for it – or somebody interesting would!
One factor when shooting from a window is the agitation caused by thermal mixing. (I don’t see that here, though.) I had a setup with bluebirds building a nest and had a good shot out the guest bedroom window – open of course and screen off. But even on a cool morning it was bad. I had everything set up and left the window open all night with the bedroom door closed. I could slip in in the morning and the temperature should have been completely equalized, but there was apparently enough air current outside to mess things up, even with the end of the lens as far out the window as the tripod would allow. Humidity makes the whole issue worse.
Thanks @Diane_Miller & again @Barbara_Djordjevic & @SkipsPics. Insofar as getting closer, I’d be about 10 feet lower if I did since I’m shooting out the main floor window and there is a walk-out basement below me, so essentially this is a second floor elevation. Not sure that would work although I can give it a try. I’ve never baited any bird with butter or suet, but it’s something I could do since I think I have some suet around somewhere. No PB though. The pair could be trying to carve out a nest, but it’s awfully close to where the tree split so it may not work out. Could be there is just something tasty in there.
UPDATE - they are making a nest! The cavity is big enough now to swallow most of the bird doing the excavating with only the tail out on the trunk for stability. Woo hoo. Now I have to update my strategy and think about this more. Certainly we don’t want them to abandon the nest, but we walk right by the “tree” on the way to the dock/shoreline. Hm. The dock isn’t in yet, but in a few weeks we’ll take care of that. I hope they don’t panic.
@Kris_Smith While bird photographers have largely gotten away from nest photography other than opportunistic shots, it was the mainstay for the first 80 years of the art. Any of the older books on bird photography will give you a lot of good information on blinds and other techniques. Here’s a quick picture of four from my library that are readily available in the used book market and are all very good (though Yeates puts all his pictures at the back, which I don’t care for). The two middle ones are both from Eric Hosking and Cyril Newberry so either one is fine. They were written some years apart and I can’t recall which is more recent. You have the advantage of not having to get within 5 ft of the nest to get a decent image, so it should be a lot easier than what these guys dealt with.
What an incredible opportunity!! Our Flickers are very easily spooked, so be careful! I’m not a birder and others can chime in here, but I suspect the longer the nest has been established the better the chances you won’t scare them away. I assume they will abandon eggs more readily than babies.
Also, they may return to the same spot next year. We have a male who roosts in a birdhouse on our deck every winter but moves on when its time to build a nest. (Sure wish I could find it!) Then Bluebirds move in!
Thanks for the perspective and book advice, Dennis. I am so new to bird photography that I don’t know the history of practices and norms the way I do other genres. I wonder if I’m worrying for nothing, but they are pretty skittish so I will proceed with caution. I don’t want to chase them away or make them abandon any youngsters. I have some ideas for maybe getting a bit closer from a slightly different angle and elevation, but we’ll see if they stay put. It’s rainy today so not much work is getting done on the nest. I’d love it if they’d use it over and over or even if other birds commandeer it someday. Ducks or other woodies. Just not squirrels!! LOL.
I really like the clear, sharp look of this woodpecker against the rugged bark. It’s great how the subtle background doesn’t pull attention away from the bird, allowing its details to stand out.
You’ve got a nice balance in the composition here. The way the woodpecker aligns with the tree trunk directs the eye nicely up the photo, making the most of the vertical frame. The focus is spot-on, keeping the bird crisp against a muted background, which really makes it pop.
It’s great how you’ve captured a bit of daily life for these birds, especially with the story about the female taking turns at the tree. It adds a personal touch to the photo, like we’re peeking into a day in their lives. The setting and the moment you’ve caught here not only show off the bird’s beauty but also give a glimpse into its natural behavior, which is always fascinating.
Thanks @Saundie - the river makes for a changing, but uniform background and I hope that not too many leaves intrude as the seasons change. This vantage point is a good one, but doesn’t allow for much variation in composition - I have to rely on the bird to position itself well, which he nicely did. I’m hopeful I can continue to catch both parents as they raise their brood.
