Only Got a Tiny Piece of this Bird

[sm4him]

Went out bird hunting Saturday, but the weather really didn't cooperate. Saw about a gazillion Cedar Waxwings--more than I've ever seen in one place.
Also saw an American Kestrel--but everytime I was *almost* close enough for a decent picture, it took off.

I haven't really sorted through a lot of the pictures yet, so maybe something else will be decent enough to keep, but in the end, this was definitely one of my better shots of the day:




C&C, general comments and witty banter greatly appreciated, as usual!

Oh...and...I can't believe I'm stooping to self-promotion like this, but: this photo just became "Popular" on 500px and that's nearly as good as "likes" on TPF! Both always make me feel good! If you just *happened* to want to go and "like" it on 500px and move it up, well, I wouldn't stop you.
500px / Photo "Birds of a Feather" by Sharon Monett

 

[Rafterman]

this photo just became "Popular" on 500px...

Just gave you a little boost with a "Like" on there. I'm on 500px as well (link in my sig), but I have mixed emotions about them lately. Not to COMPLETELY derail your thread (I do honestly like the pic you put up, and would have LOVED to see an American Kestrel), but 500px has started heading in the wrong direction. They used to have nothing but totally awesome images. However, since they've skyrocketed in popularity the past year, many people are now posting dozens of crummy images at a time to their accounts and it's starting to turn into Flickr, which IMO isn't good. I could type several paragraphs about it, but I'll leave it at that for now.

</rant>

Anywho...I'll be expecting that awesome Kestrel photo in the next few days. Keep it up!

 

[ceeboy14]

Oh, geeze Louise, I will be a dissenter as I find the anchor point, the thorn at the end of the branch the most in focus and while I like the concept of the capture, I cannot give it a boost anywhere.

 

[sm4him]

this photo just became "Popular" on 500px...

Just gave you a little boost with a "Like" on there. I'm on 500px as well (link in my sig), but I have mixed emotions about them lately. Not to COMPLETELY derail your thread (I do honestly like the pic you put up, and would have LOVED to see an American Kestrel), but 500px has started heading in the wrong direction. They used to have nothing but totally awesome images. However, since they've skyrocketed in popularity the past year, many people are now posting dozens of crummy images at a time to their accounts and it's starting to turn into Flickr, which IMO isn't good. I could type several paragraphs about it, but I'll leave it at that for now.

</rant>

Anywho...I'll be expecting that awesome Kestrel photo in the next few days. Keep it up!

Oh, I'll definitely be out hunting that Kestrel again.
I did find two trees that ground evidence would suggest it likes to frequent, so I know exactly where to go and camp out to wait on it.

As for 500px, I agree. There are STILL a lot of stunning shots on there, but as more and more people join and participate, there is also a lot more of the same Instagram/Flickr "photos of the masses" cr*p. Right after I posted mine, I went to the Fresh section, only to find that my new upload had instantly been pushed to the second or third page by some idiot who thought uploading 50 pictures of his bike was a great idea (and not GOOD pictures of a bike, just the "Look, I have a bike" kind of pictures).
Normally, I only browse the Upcoming and Popular sections, as those are still, for the most part, excellent shots. But when one of my photos starts showing promise to hit the Upcoming or Popular rank, I admit, I start browsing even the Fresh section for things I can legitimately like and comment on, to try to help feed people to my photo. I never ask for them to vote like so many do, though.

Oh, geeze Louise, I will be a dissenter as I find the anchor point, the thorn at the end of the branch the most in focus and while I like the concept of the capture, I cannot give it a boost anywhere.

No worries, ceeboy--it'd be kinda boring if we all liked the same thing.

Yes, the thorn at the end is the most in focus, but I actually kind of wanted it that way. I think I probably have a couple where the feather is more in focus and perhaps I'll see if I can find one of those to process and post up so you all can decide what you prefer.

I guess my preference for the focus on the thorn is probably more based on my memory of the moment than on aesthetics. It was really windy, and the little feather was blowing all over the place, which is why it caught my eye. So, for me, the sharply focused thorn, with the softer, floating feather is pretty much what I was going for.

 

[oldhippy]

Like it here, like it there. like it everywhere

 

[KenC]

I'm OK with the focus and I like the way the feather looks, but for me there's too much of the branch. What is really interesting is the sort of ethereal feel of the feather against a blurred background which has a diagonal opposite to the direction of the feather. I'd crop down to a more-or-less square comp, leaving only the very end of the branch for context.