Photo of the Week #10

6/5/2020

Title: Blue Jay
Photographer: Janet Rathbun

I took this photo of a Blue Jay at my peanut feeder in my backyard after 5 pm. My camera settings were 300 mm focal length, with crop factor 450 mm, f/9, 1/500, ISO 400. I was trying to capture the texture of the feathers and sharpness of the bird, particularly the eye. I was also attracted to the blue color of the bird.

5 Comments

Peter Chow

6/6/2020 01:37:44 pm

I think you have capture the texture and isolate the bird and feeder well.
Perhaps you can sharpen the bird a bit and lighten the eyes a bit.
I would like to see the background a little brighter. Also I like to see the top of the feeder.

Mike Frechette

6/7/2020 08:11:04 am

Hmmm- not sure whether the birdfeeder adds to or pulls the eye from the bird. I think Peter was looking for balance by including the top of the feeder. I tend to go in a reverse direction, minimizing the feeder by cropping the top, leaving more focus on the bird. I do think the lower half of the background is too dark.

Maryann Flick

6/10/2020 11:34:31 am

While this wouldn’t pass for a nature image, it is a very nice documentary/record shot of a Blue Jay at your feeder showing a behavior. It’s probably sharper than it appears at this file size. I agree with Mike that the subject is the bird and would crop in a way that makes it a greater part of the total frame. It might have been more interesting if you had captured it plucking a seed out.

Allison Maltese

6/12/2020 07:05:28 pm

I would also crop off a good portion of the top so the subject is more bird than feeder. It certainly is sharp with nice color and detail. Now that you have mastered the technique of the capture, it would be fun to have the bird doing something next time - flying in or plucking a seed as Maryann has suggested.

Janet Rathbun

6/13/2020 07:44:25 am

Thanks very much to all of you. I made some changes to the photo based on your comments and will send the new photo to Peter to post. I cropped more of the top. I am always afraid to crop too much, but I do think it is better that way. I also lightened the eye a little and made the bird sharper per Peter's suggestion although the original did seem sharp on my screen. I also made the whole background lighter. Next time I will try to capture a bird plucking a seed. Feel free to comment on the revision. Thanks

Photo of the Week #10

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Maryann Flick

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