# Western Bluebird, female **URL:** \ **Category:** Image Critiques\ **Tags:** birds\ **Created:** [May 3, 2021, 12:09am UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/western-bluebird-female/21545 "2021-05-03T00:09:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Diane\_Miller](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/diane_miller/32/27391_2.png) [@Diane\_Miller](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Diane_Miller)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2021, 12:09am UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/western-bluebird-female/21545/1 "2021-05-03T00:09:35Z")
![Western Bluebird, female](https://images.naturephotographers.network/original/3X/4/2/42e8db803607504fe4c5e0d08149203b7489aabd.jpeg) I put up a Bluebird house this spring and was delighted when a pair of Bluebirds moved in! The last chance I had with them was seven years ago, when I was thrilled to discover a pair nesting in a cavity in an old apple tree . Despite harassment by Acorn Woodpeckers, she is apparently just starting to sit on eggs, and I was able to put up my blind in a good location – in the middle of the driveway… (Fortunately there is a wide turn around there.) And there is good open shade for several hours in the morning. ### Specific Feedback Requested All comments welcome! ### Technical Details Is this a composite: No Canon R5, Canon EF 600 f/4 II + 2X III, ISO 3200, f/13 (hoping futilely for a bit more DOF), 1/250 sec., sturdy tripod. Eye AF. Shot in vertical format, a bit taken off the bottom and small amounts added to both edges. Only a slight tweak in LR to Highlights, into PS for Topaz DeNoise with its default sharpening. ###### ---
**Author:** ![Dan\_Kearl](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/dan_kearl/32/6715_2.png) [@Dan\_Kearl](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Dan_Kearl)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2021, 1:25am UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/western-bluebird-female/21545/2 "2021-05-03T01:25:18Z")
I would loosen the crop if you have it… It looks like an Instagram crop which is fine but a 3 x 2 would be nice. Terrific HA and sharp ness with a nice BG. ---
**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:** [May 3, 2021, 1:43am UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/western-bluebird-female/21545/3 "2021-05-03T01:43:43Z")
A beautiful pose and superb detail, Diane. For my taste it looks maybe a touch over sharpened. I think I agree with Dan on a bit looser composition. The background is lovely. ---
**Author:** ![Diane\_Miller](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/diane_miller/32/27391_2.png) [@Diane\_Miller](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Diane_Miller)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2021, 3:20am UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/western-bluebird-female/21545/4 "2021-05-03T03:20:12Z")
Thanks @Dan_Kearl and @Dennis_Plank. I was too close for the lens – tomorrow I’ll put on the 1.4X – and had to rotate to a vertical to fit her in well. I already added canvas on both sides. Could do more and possibly find a horizontal that shows more of the perch, but the BG light would be different. Topaz Denoise didn’t do much sharpening – here’s a 100% look at the raw file – no sharpening or NR. That’s an amazing lens. ![Screen Shot 2021-05-02 at 8.18.19 PM](https://images.naturephotographers.network/original/3X/0/1/01b61e91a2a74cc4cb53e6154a489511c22de45c.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_Lockhart](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/jim_lockhart/32/16565_2.png) [@Jim\_Lockhart](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Jim_Lockhart)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2021, 9:14pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/western-bluebird-female/21545/5 "2021-05-03T21:14:06Z")
Beautiful pose, background, and detail in this shot Diane. Maybe a little less of a crop would improve. Some Eastern Bluebirds visited my feeder last week but couldn’t get a shot before they were gone. They have quite a bit more blue on their heads and wings, plus a nice brown on their breasts. ---
**Author:** ![Stephen\_Stanton](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/stephen_stanton/32/575_2.png) [@Stephen\_Stanton](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Stephen_Stanton)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2021, 4:22am UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/western-bluebird-female/21545/6 "2021-05-04T04:22:43Z")
Very nice female Bluebird image, the sharpness is awesome , especially on the closeup original you provided. I really don’t have the problem of being too close for the lense on the small song birds. Lvely smooth background colors too. ---
**Author:** ![terryb](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/terryb/32/39625_2.png) [@terryb](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/terryb)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2021, 12:11pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/western-bluebird-female/21545/7 "2021-05-04T12:11:05Z")
Nicely captured. Good detail and the colors are very pleasing. I agree to loosen the crop a bit, but that’s easily done and a matter of taste. Well done. ---
**Author:** ![David\_Schoen](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/david_schoen/32/368_2.png) [@David\_Schoen](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/David_Schoen)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2021, 4:07pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/western-bluebird-female/21545/8 "2021-05-04T16:07:39Z")
Excellent detail. I really like the pose, depth of field, and background. Yes it could use a little more space but that’s pretty minor. Plumage detail is really amazing. And yes there is a tiny bit of noise in the green area to be expected at ISO 3200 but not enough to be a major issue when looked at at normal size. If you process a really noisy image in Topaz De noise, it tends to do a noticeable job but those images that are not plagued with a lot of noise don’t seem to be affected as much. I do like the slight level of sharpening that this software product applies to many images.