Red Winged Blackbird

[micatlady]

Fall is arriving. Let me know what you think, DOF, subject, should I crop it? I couldn't get any closer, wish I could have.

 

[toruonu]

Don't crop it. The composition is just nice, but sadly the quite bright grass behind the bird has fooled the light meter and the bird is extremely underexposed. You can compensate with shadows/highlights or if you have RAW try to superimpose same picture with different exposure compensations (once underexposed, other time overexposed) to get the bird details out.

But don't blame yourself, under such conditions it's always almost impossible to correctly expose the shot. Either the bird is underexposed or the background is overexposed.

 

[JonK]

No crop..your compo. is right on. :thumbup: as is your DOF.
Agree with toruonu on the exposure issues.
Nicely done.

 

[LaFoto]

To me the composition is absolutely perfect.
Nothing needs to be changed!

As to the exposure - I would assume this is a scan from print?
So no RAW photo to be had?

 

[micatlady]

Thanks all for the critique. Yes LaFoto this was a scan from a print so no RAW. No digital SLR for me (yet - someday maybe). I also agreed that the background was a little blown out, but shooting from my car on the side of the road it came out pretty good. I would have liked it a little darker for the reeds but I got the bird! Those blackbirds I've been stalking all summer and every time I think I'm going to get a good shot - poof away they go.