Cardinal, Starling and Sparrow

[coastalconn]

Weather wasn't very good today. Feel free to comment.

1 - Last night I caught this female cardinal at sunset.

Female Cardinal at sunset by krisinct, on Flickr

2 - Tonight instead of a sunset it started snowing. The female cardinal looked a little confused about the snow. I hate using fill flash, but I had to in this one and the next..

Female Cardinal snow 2 by krisinct, on Flickr

3 - Better pose by the Cardinal

Female Cardinal snow 3 by krisinct, on Flickr

4 - Caught this starling in the middle of it's call.

Squawking Starling by krisinct, on Flickr

5 - This House Sparrow was in a nice pose

House Sparrow by krisinct, on Flickr

 

[SCraig]

Nice shots, Kris. I agree about the fill flash, it does look a tad harsh, but it really brought out the red in her bill.

I don't know what it is about Cardinals and snow but they really do seem to not like it. I've got a few shots of them in snow and if birds can look annoyed they managed to do it.

 

[Radical]

Really like number three.

 

[acellis]

The poses are excellent and you've filled the frame with your subject. I would add some post processing if they were mine. Nicely done.

 

[baturn]

The Starling and the sparrow for me. Very sharp. I've tried flash with birds but got the bird version of redeye. your flash photos are so much better. Is your flash off camera?

 

[coastalconn]

Acellis, I'm curious what you would do in post?

Baturn, I have a Sigma DG Super 500, sort of fancy name for an old flash, but it works pretty well. I dialed down the exposure compensation on the flash to -1 step. I probably could have gone a little further, but I was cold, it was snowing and I was laying on the ground

 

[ryanparker]

wow, amazing shots! Such beautiful colors & details...very nice!

 

[WesternGuy]

CC, great shots. I am very glad that you share your images with us. Definitely gives someone like me, something to aim for.

WesternGuy

 

[sm4him]

I especially love the last two--well, I hate starlings too, too much to really "love" that shot, but you captured some great action on it and got the iridescence of the feathers too.

The sparrow, that's just too cute.

 

[KenC]

No one should have to apologize for fill flash when executed this well. Photographers can tell that's what it is but it wouldn't be evident to anyone else. #2 has some spots that should be removed, but otherwise I wouldn't change a thing.

 

[coastalconn]

Thanks everyone! KenC, I think the spots you are referring to are actually the snowflakes that made the cardinal look so distraught