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Playing Hard to Get

© Beth Spencer

Playing Hard to Get

Uploaded: February 08, 2013

Description

Canon 7d, Tamron 18-270mm lens, 1/125, f/6.3 ISO 800

Exif: F Number: 6.3, Exposure Bias Value: 0.67, ExposureTime: 1/125 seconds, Flash: did not fire, compulsory flash mode, ISO: 800, White balance: Auto white balance, FocalLength: 142.00 mm, Model: Canon EOS 7D

Comments

Beth Spencer February 08, 2013

The female was having nothing to do with Mr. Pufed up Red.
I have several birds coming into my feeders now and 4 sets of cardinals, last year I only had 1 set, so they must like the sunflower seeds.
I wanted to post 2 more with these. #1513670

Michael Kelly level-classic February 08, 2013

Beth I though this was one of Rita's when I first saw the thumbnail. I love to capture these nature scenes. The first two though busy show the birds well - I don't know how you get around that with all the tree branches etc. One suggestion would be to get as close as possible with a long lens to isolate the birds.

The last shot looks like you may have gone to far in your crop as it looks fuzzy to and I think I can see pixel effects. This is the look though that I was suggesting you try for in order to eliminate as much of the busy branches as possible. #10559950

Beth Spencer February 09, 2013

Thanks Mike, I was trying to get some isolated but didn't have a lot of luck. There are so many in the tree waiting to come in the feeders. I use the house as a blind and hang out the living room window to try and get the shots. #10561095

Dale Hardin February 09, 2013

I wish we had those here. Would love to see them and try some shots #10561199

Jeff E Jensen February 10, 2013

Yup, would be cool to have them around here as well.

I also thought these were Rita's. #10562580

Rita K. Connell level-classic February 10, 2013

these are great shots beth, the female all puffed up is darling, even if she is a little fuzzy. it funny I was getting ready to post a shot very similar to your original post. will post when I get back from my trip

I love it when it starts to snow because they all really flock to the feeder.

I will give you a hint about taking pictures of the birds through the window be sure to use your histogram I try to keep my ISO 500 and lower. and I get as close to the glass as I can. #10562652

Peter W. Marks February 11, 2013

We too have plenty of cardials when we put out the sunflower seeds. You can't beat a splash of bright red on a dull wintery day.
The 'hard to get' image particularly appeals to me.
Nice work beth. #10563578

Stephen Shoff February 11, 2013

For your "Playing hard to get":

My first reactions...the primary subjects are spread a little too far apart with too many obstructions between them. However, the title makes this work.

Suggestions to address Mike's observation and "clean it up a little" so that the birds present a little more strongly.
-- crop some off the the bottom, and perhaps clone out the two twigs coming up from the bottom making an "x".
-- clone out the twigs protruding from the head and back of the two birds, two for the red bird, the one coming out the back of the orange bird, and if possible the long twig coming up from the branch. As it appears to me right now, it looks like that long twig was actually in front of the bird and you just cloned out the section in front of the bird itself.
-- The birds themselves aren't quite sharp. Perhaps a slight saturation reduction that Mike has recommended in the past on their feathers might allow the edgesto show through a little. Whatever you might try for enhancing detail and texture in the birds should be applied with a mask so that it only strengthens the birds and not the busy background. #10564510

Beth Spencer February 12, 2013

Stephen, I attempted the edits you and Mike suggested. I cloned out a few of the twigs, and then I selected the birds and did a high pass filter on just them. I also reduced their saturation which helped.
Then I thought I would push them together. So I cut a chunk out of the middle and did a lot of cloning.. I didn't like it so I found a filter in Color effex 4, faded photo, that was ok.
These guys are in the tree in our backyard. I took out the screen in the window, and open the window and try to get in close. #10565419

Stephen Shoff February 12, 2013

Beth -- you got my suggestions just about right. (You did miss cloning out twigs around the red bird on the left.) It is difficult for me to detect any significant change from the high pass filter and desaturation, although I'm sure it is more noticeable in a full size image. I do think its better. Thanks for giving that try.

I liked your idea of pulling the two elements closer...just didn't see how that could be made to work. It looked like a lot of effort to me. Your alternative is very good. It is very low key, low contrast...moody.

Thanks, too, for clarifying that you were getting windows and screens out of the way, even in that obviously very cold weather! I'm finding that essential. The texture of bird feathers and long hard beaks make it hard for me to ever be satisfied with sharpness. As you continue to work with these birds, pay a little more attention to your shutter speed. You may be working with an effective 350mm lens. You may need to increase ISO to get your shutter speed high enough to hand old. Or, study some reviews of that lens to see where the "sweet spot" of that lens is for focal length and aperture. It may be that going a little shorter, and not shooting wide open will sharpen the picture. You have enough resolution on that 7D sensor to trade off magnification image quality.

Nice work on this. #10565659

Beth Spencer February 12, 2013

Thanks Stephen, I appreciate you getting back to me on this one. I thought I would add one more. It is much less cluttered and a bit sharper. #10565734

Stephen Shoff February 12, 2013

Now this last one puts it all together. Sharp, simplicity, great color palette. You could put a whole book together of that kind of shot.

Notice your shutter speed!

#10565894

Michael Kelly level-classic February 12, 2013

Yes this last post is a beauty. A great looking bird in nature and snow - the best kind of nature photography. #10565910

Dale Hardin February 12, 2013

That last shot is superb Beth. Love it. #10565948

Jeff E Jensen February 13, 2013

AMEN! #10566633

Beth Spencer February 13, 2013

Thanks so much everyone!!! #10567250

Beth Spencer February 13, 2013

Thanks so much everyone!!! #10567251

Peter W. Marks February 14, 2013

Nothing to add to the titmouse image Beth. It's a delightful image of this bird.
Of course I could always start an argument of what to call two of them. Is it two titmouses or two titmice! #10567618

Rita K. Connell level-classic February 14, 2013

your last one is awesome Beth are they not just the funnest little birds to watch. #10568075

Beth Spencer February 14, 2013

Thanks Rita and yes they are. Peter you had me wondering, so I did a google search and now I can go to bed tonight and sleep knowing the proper term: here is the link:
http://www.natlands.org/preserves-to-visit/blog/mariton-tufted-titmice-or-titmouses/
#10568616

Susan M. Reynolds level-addict February 14, 2013

Nice work on your edits, Beth...my favorite is also the tufted titmouse. It's so adorable! Birds are very hard to capture clear, crisp images of from my experience, especially through a window. #10568732

Peter W. Marks February 15, 2013

And thank you Beth! Now I can sleep too but after reading the piece you linked to I am going with the old english version and "Titmouses" it shall be. We don't have any problem with saying 'one house, two houses' so forget the little furry rodents and baffle all your friends with the correct version- Titmouses. #10568932

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