# Red-Bellied Woodpecker

**URL:** <https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/red-bellied-woodpecker/2966>\
**Category:** Image Critiques\
**Tags:** birds\
**Created:** [December 23, 2018, 1:20pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/red-bellied-woodpecker/2966 "2018-12-23T13:20:58Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Jim\_Zablotny](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/jim_zablotny/32/3919_2.png) [@Jim\_Zablotny](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Jim_Zablotny)\
**Post date:** [December 23, 2018, 1:20pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/red-bellied-woodpecker/2966/1 "2018-12-23T13:20:58Z")

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![NPN](https://images.naturephotographers.network/original/2X/3/329f05b316ddf77cd7ae94292cc6793d28043059.jpeg)

### What technical feedback would you like if any?

### What artistic feedback would you like if any? How do you like the comp and bokeh?

### Any pertinent technical details: D500 (600mm f4 + 1.4x TC), F8, subject backlit. Levels, crop for comp…Jim

I reduced the brightness of the bokeh using Dennis’s methodology. Thank you Dennis…Jim

 ![RedbellyWdpkr-copyNPN](https://images.naturephotographers.network/original/2X/e/e6bdffef2e62613c542bae863dc2b4c2423988f5.jpeg)

##### **_You may only download this image to demonstrate post-processing techniques._**

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**Author:** ![Dennis\_Plank](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/dennis_plank/32/27033_2.png) [@Dennis\_Plank](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Dennis_Plank)\
**Post date:** [December 23, 2018, 2:57pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/red-bellied-woodpecker/2966/2 "2018-12-23T14:57:21Z")

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I really like the composition, Jim. The slanted trunk works very well-I’ll have to remember that and give the camera a little tilt when I shoot birds on the side of trees. The bokeh is fine but I do find the brightness of the areas behind the head to be a bit too much. One method I’ve used for taming them is to pick up the dominant surroundin color with the color picker then go over the bright areas on a background layer with the brush opacity cranked way down until it just dulls it out a little bit and makes the contrast easier on the eyes. It seems to produce more realistic looking results than the grays you get with burning.

Superb depth of field. I really like the fully sharp tree.

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**Author:** ![Greg\_Giesing](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/greg_giesing/32/2939_2.png) [@Greg\_Giesing](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Greg_Giesing)\
**Post date:** [December 23, 2018, 9:37pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/red-bellied-woodpecker/2966/3 "2018-12-23T21:37:38Z")

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Ditto what Dennis said. Nice shot.