Steller Jay - puffed

[SnappingShark]

My first ever "wildlife" shot - as I just saw it sat there on the tree.

C&C highly wanted!! Especially as my garden will be coming alive for the summer and I want some good shots!
Thanks!

 

[D-B-J]

I like the colors. It's a little tricky to see, and the black in the background doesn't help. Looks like the bird itself could use a bit of extra light in post. The bird is the central subject, but doesn't quite pop.

Jake


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[baturn]

Other than possibly opening the shadows a bit and cropping a little closer it looks pretty good to me. Oh, and unlike me you spelled Steller correctly.

 

[danielklaer]

Looks like a great start. That is a really nice looking bird. The number 1 rule is get closer though I imagine you were as close as you could get without scaring it off

 

[SnappingShark]

It was a very opportune moment - I saw it from my office, crept outside with my camera and boom. shot.

However, I see what you guys mean about the BG and how it could be lighter in post.

 

[nzmacro]

What a stunning bird and love those blues. Nothing like that here at all. A great start IMO and it only gets easier as you go, so don't let anything throw you. Well done. If you can control it, look through you lens with no bird in the frame and just look at the backgrounds, what they look like and see if you can throw that backgrounds right out with the DOF. In other words, shallow DOF to help isolate the birds off the background. Means using the lens wide open if you can get away with it, that tends to smooth out the backgrounds.

So you can scan the area and see where best suits you to shoot background wise, colours, blurred, etc. Maybe set up a feeder in that area, but try and avoid feeders in the shot. I can't control where I shoot, so you actually have a huge benefit if you work at it. I like to shoot with the sun at my back, that helps to bounce the colours, others don't like that look, catch 22 . Use as high a shutter speed that you can while still trying to use a lowish ISO. The reason for a high speed is that, if a bird is perched, it will take off at some point and being ready is a good idea. Start off with perched birds first though at low ISO if you can, just get used to it.

Anyway, all the best and darn good work and shot here. Good on you

Danny.