I managed this shot of a Western Meadowlark the other day without even getting out of the car. Got lucky.
Is this a composite: No
D500, Nikon 200-500 lens, Nikon 1.4 TC, 3200th, 700mm, ISO 1100, hand held, cropped to 3658 x 2866, AI Clear
What a tremendous catch! Great perch area, too. Not sure what kind of plant that is, but it’s intriguing. I love the pose and the slight ruffle of feathers by what must be a breeze. The far bg is beautifully OOF and the bird is so bright it pops. There’s even a wash of blue in the nearest feathers. Well done! I could see my way to cloning out the LLC twigs coming in and possibly the ones nearest the branch the bird is on, but that’s pretty minor.
Very nice over-the-shoulder pose, with enough of the side light catching on the head turn to give good lighting on it. Good detail and lovely perch and BG!
Hi Dave
I will take luck anytime. The head turn, eye contact and yellow breast, really make this photograph stand out. Nice work.
Peter
Yeah, I hear ya. Sometimes luck’s with you, and sometimes it’s not. When I’m out I try to be “locked and loaded” in case an opportunity shows up. This guy flew about one second after this exposure. You know how it can be…
Everything came together for you here. Great colour contrasts. Wasn’t it Ansel Adams who said: “If it ain’t 6 feet from the car it ain’t worth shooting?”
