Does this work? Curve-billed Thrasher


Posted by Alan Melle on Sun Aug 24, 2003 1:56 pm

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I've hesitated to post this before but would appreciate some feedback. I know adjusting the exposure and adding fill flash would have helped on the bird. I decided not to use flash for fear of introducing a lot more shadow and confusion because of all the cactus spines. Does this compromise work?

F5, 400mm f5.6, E100VS (which I stopped using)

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by Alan Murphy on Sun Aug 24, 2003 2:06 pm
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Hey Alan,

I feel that the sidelighting is a little strong. Flash would have helped here. the catcus still came out a little busy and hot. quite a contrast from the dark background to the bright forground catcus. It does have a nice comp and has mood to the photo.

Alan
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by matt kuchta on Sun Aug 24, 2003 2:25 pm
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I'm with Alan - a bit of a head turn would add a little intimacy, but probably would have necessitated FF, due to the light.

Still, I like the contrast of spines with bird and BG. Must be a very talented bird to perch on something like that.
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by LHays on Sun Aug 24, 2003 2:27 pm
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Alan
Fill flash always seem to help an image such as this. I don't use it nearly enough. I still like this image. I normally might prefer a head turn but here I rather like the position of the head and I especially like the contrast. You're one up on me.....I don't have any thrasher shots!
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by E.J. Peiker on Sun Aug 24, 2003 2:57 pm
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Its just a touch too contrasty for me and I'd like the bird to turn his head a touch. This is a classic Cuve-billed Thrasher shot though on that cactus - the way I am used to seeing them.
 

by Richard Ditch on Sun Aug 24, 2003 3:30 pm
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I agree about the light being too harsh here. Even I would use fill in this situation! :D
 

by Sandy Mossberg on Sun Aug 24, 2003 3:43 pm
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Alan, I like the contemplative look-away. To my mind, fill would have helped this shot a lot. Even Curves might help it.
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by Chip Estabrooks on Sun Aug 24, 2003 5:11 pm
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Another vote for fill flash to make the harsh side lighting more subtle.

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by AlexC on Sun Aug 24, 2003 5:26 pm
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It's not necessarily good to follow the norm, the look away head position of the bird makes it look natural to me, As if he was alone by himself, Contrasty it is, and here it's were fill-flash could have added a touch of detail on the shadows, It also seems that the exposure could be a little less as well, Maybe EV-1/3, Still very nice IMO!!
Congrats!! 8)
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by Juli Wilcox on Mon Aug 25, 2003 6:26 pm
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Hi Alan---great habitat and juxtaposition of bird and perch. The greater difference between the values of the darkest and lightest pixels tends to split my focus so I would say, no, it doesn't really work. Interestingly to me, if the bird were looking my way and razor sharp, that would outweigh the other and it would work definitely for me.
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by Jim Probst on Mon Aug 25, 2003 10:24 pm
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Alan,

The lighting gives the image a mood that I find very appealing. Nice work!
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by Richard on Tue Aug 26, 2003 4:07 pm
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Excellent image! I like the perch and feel the side lighting is a little strong and could have benefited from a bit of fill flash. I would also wish the head was turned just a tad more to the camera. Love the background and composition. Very nice! :?
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