Pileated Woodpecker

Image Critiques
1

Pileated Woodpecker.jpg
Pileated Woodpecker.jpg1440×2160 1.87 MB

Critique Style Requested: Standard

The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.

Description

Saw this woodpecker this morning while on a bird count with the local ornithological society.

Specific Feedback

This bird was seen in the understory of the woods with the bird in shade and a fairly bright sky behind. In post processing, I dodged the whites on the bird to bring them up to a reasonable brightness. I cloned out a tree trunk on the right edge and subsequently toned down the brighter sky leaving a slight hint of distant structure. How does all that look?

Technical Details

Canon R7, 200-800@800mm, handheld
ISO 4000, f9, 1/640s

Processed in DXO PureRaw 4 and Photoshop.

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1 Like
3

The detail on Woody is excellent. Composition and processing look just fine.

4

Processing looks good to me, Allen. I still need to find a good location for them here, as I only have one image of these and I really like them. Your handling of the sky works nicely, and I the results of your work on the woodpecker look like nice even lighting typical of understory on an overcast day.

5

Wonderful portrait of one of these unique (to me, anyway) birds. Well processed. Occasionally I get a glimpse of one, but usually I just hear them.

6

This bird is on my Top Target (!) list when I visit NC in March (together with Bald Eagle and Wood Duck). This excellent shot has fueled my enthusiasm, Allen. It looks like you may even have caught a sliver of pecked timber near the tail, which would be a cool detail.