Grassland Yellow Finch

[Olympus E300]

Hey Gang! I've been absent now for quite some time. My new situation (seperation & joint child custody) has kept me extremely busy. To busy even for photography! While I have been living comfortably under my rock, I have been trying to drum up ways to continue my photography outdoors all while looking after my two beautiful girls indoors. Since I am up with the birds (literally - 5:30AM), I have decided that birds will be my photo focus for now. I've purchased some remote wireless shutter releases and some bird feeders. Now I am able to sit at the breakfast table and feed my happy little girls all while watching the feeders through the glass patio door where I have the camera set up first thing in the morning. As a result, I have had some success with this and today I wish to share with you my favorite photo from yesterday. As always, your feedback (good or bad) is very much appreciated.

Cheers! Now back under my rock I go...
- Daniel


© 2010 F/Sharp Photography

Camera : Olympus E3
Lens : Zuiko 14-54mm f/2.8-3.5
Focal Length : 54mm
Aperature : f/3.5
Exposure : 1/800 sec.
ISO : 100

Post Production : Cropped and brightened slightly. Obviously the border and watermark were added.

 

[Olympus E300]

C'mon folks...Ya'll got to have some feedback for me? I appreciate the "Like" but would enjoy some feedback in general. Personally, I really like this photo. I achieved the bokeh I was striving for, centered my subject while basically maintaining the rule of 3rds. Furthermore, the overall color layout is pleasing to my eye. The image is quite sharp and I don't think the exposure is off. Thoughts? Ideas? Comments? Anyone...Cheers!- Daniel

 

[tyler_h]

Your 'following rule of thirds' = dead space, subject, object competing for attention. I don't like the composition of it. As the bird is looking to the right standard (because it works) would be to have the empty area on that size as you eye would naturally lead into it instead of having to need to visit it. The seed distracts from the main subject, not completely because the saturation on the bird is much higher (might need to reduce it - look at the top of the chest - seems to be quite flat yellow). Bokeh is nice, and the image is sharp and well exposed.

I'm also not a huge fan of man-made objects in shots like this - could you set up something which will act as a feeder while inconspicuously place in a tree etc?

That the sort of comments you're looking for? Everyone will see something different though so need a few more to chip in too...

 

[Olympus E300]

That's precisely what I am looking for. Somebody to chime in with some view points which I may have not yet considered. Thank you - good or bad, input always helps one to further their studies. Personally, I do like the compisition here, however, that may just be my inexperience talking. I can't think of anything off hand that I could use to attract these little fellas without it being seen as man made. Suggestions? While I see your point regarding the emptiness on the left side of the frame, I actually like it in this particular shot. That of course just comes down to inexperience again and personal preference. Thanks for the feedback! I do appreciate it! Cheers!!

 

[Ron Evers]

The Goldfinch is too centered in the frame, cut off some of the dead space to the left.

 

[tyler_h]

Something to look non-man-made; we used to do pinecones with seed stuffed in them. Depending on your crop you'd only see the pinecone looking natural. There should be something similar you can set up that is more appropriate for your area and the birds you normally have.

 

[Olympus E300]

OK...So I ran with the general idea that there was to much dead space on the left side of the frame. I re-cropped my original and now that I can compare the two images, I think that I agree with you folks. My concern now is that the plexiglass tube which the feeder is constructed of looks horribly blurred at the edges. This was obviously not visible in the original crop because the feeder was intentionally removed from the photo. I presume that this is simply an inherent problem one encounters when shooting a transparent material which arcs around such as this feeder does. I don't believe it is motion blur (1/800 sec.) as the rest of the photo is quite sharp.

Thoughts? Ideas? Suggestions?

Thanks again!
- Daniel



© 2010 F/Sharp Photography


Info
Date: June 29th 2011
Time: 8:01AM

Camera: Olympus E-3
Lens: Zuiko 14-54mm
Focal Length: 54mm
F/Stop: 3.1
ISO: 100
Exposure Time: 1/800 sec.

Inspiration: Birds & Bokeh

Post Production:
- Cropped
- Brightened slightly
- Added border

 

[AgentDrex]

I like the second version much better...I don't mind man-made objects along with a shot of a bird...it shows that we are all in this world together...but that's just my opinion...and like I say...opinions are like armpits...when sweaty, no one likes to smell them...what do you mean that doesn't make sense?