Ruby Throated Hummingbird visiting Bat Faced Cuphea + RePost

Image Critiques Avian Critiques
1

RePost:

RTHB08292025editedRBTH
RTHB08292025editedRBTH2000×1744 1020 KB

RTHB08292025.jpg
RTHB08292025.jpg2000×1608 785 KB

Critique Style Requested: Standard

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

Description

Bat faced Cuphea is native to Mexico and Central America and is an important nectar source for hummingbirds like this young ruby throated hummingbird. Although not the same quality as multi-flash photography, I am satisfied with the initial results so far. I left the OOF flowers in the upper RH corner for now and they can be cropped out if viewers find them distracting. With high ISO’s, I could not get the white feathers in the tail to show much detail.

Specific Feedback

There is some noise, but find it acceptable with the settings used for Noise reduction. Would you crop out the OOF flowers and maybe take a little off from the bottom? Thank you for your critique.

Technical Details

Z9 600mm f4 (1/5000 sec at f8.0, ISO 8000) DeNoise, Levels, Shadows & Highlights, Brightness & Contrast, Crop for Comp.

Critique Template

Use of the template is optional, but it can help spark ideas.

  • Vision and Purpose:
  • Conceptual:
  • Emotional Impact and Mood:
  • Composition:
  • Balance and Visual Weight:
  • Depth and Dimension:
  • Color:
  • Lighting:
  • Processing:
  • Technical:
2

This is pretty nice image for iso 8000. Very sharp and remarkably clean for that high iso .
Thanks for all your recent replies on my images.

3

Very nice, Jim. The hummingbird is fine. That clump in the upper right is the first thing I noticed, so I’d crop to eliminate it and agree that taking a bit off the bottom would probably be called for. You might also want to take a bit off the left to keep the hummer decentered.

4

Hi Jim, nice view of this hummingbird with fine details. The editing suggestions you make above sound good to me. Great to see feeding behavior so well caught.

5

Thank you @David_Schoen , @Dennis_Plank , and @Allen_Sparks for your critiques. Repost with a more aggressive crop took care of the OOF flowers …Jim

6

Nice job on the repost, Jim. I have no idea what your workflow is, but when I get all done in PS and go back to LR, I’ll often use the local adjustment brush to do some subtle adjustments to lighting and color balance. In this case I’d probably add a touch of light to the face of the hummer even though a good share of it is in shadow.