Just an extra to show him in more natural surroundings.
Critique Style Requested:Standard
The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
Tuesday afternoon I was going out the back door where my wife was weeding and she pointed at one of the bird boxes which had a Western Meadowlark on it. This was a first for our backyard and I immediately went for my camera. It came off the bird box before I could shoot but them went around the back yard and on both sides of the pond. Finally it flew to the edge of the pond and eventually entered it. Neither of us had ever seen a meadowlark anywhere near water, so I was very happy to get some images.
Specific Feedback
Unfortunately, these were taken at about 2:15 on a sunny afternoon (rain came back shortly just to uphold the reputation of this part of the country), so highlights and harsh light in general created problems in processing. Hopefully, the behavior makes up for some of those shortcomings. The images in the pond required a lot of work on the background to remove distracting elements. If you see where I botched it, please let me know.
Technical Details
Sony A1, FE 200-600 + 1.4 TC @ 840mm, monopod, f/9, iso 1250, 1/1250, manual exposure for all images. Processed in LR & PS CC. Various crops to fit the situation. I used TK8 Luminosity masks with a levels adjustment (darks 1 minus lights 2 or 3) to do most of the bringing up of the shadowed side of the bird with final touches using the LR local adjustment brush.
Dennis, how neat to get a Meadowlark to visit your pond! We usually see about 10 or 12 maybe come and stop by on probably a migration trip some time in February each year. Of course I don’t have a pond, so all we get is them feeding in the edge of our yard. I have tried getting a shot of them through the window. Nothing great but I still think they are one of the most beautifully marked birds and am thrilled when they grace our presence even for a short visit in the yard.
I am enjoying each one of these shots. I can deal with the harsh light. I didn’t see any problems with your editing either.
All excellent, showing good detail with interesting settings. I really like the last one, though, for the setting-perch, background and purple flower. Great to see one of these in the backyard. Envious.
Hello, you tell a great story as do these pictures! You have beautiful details, colours and surroundings. I think you have managed the backgrounds very well. You also caught some fun action at 1/1250 sec…just a thought…one thing I learned (I think from the Julie Steelman webinar on NPN) is to keep my camera at 1/2000 sec in case action happens. Again, wonderful photographs!
Aesthetically: Some bright spots but otherwise wonderful. Technical: Great job of addressing the bright afternoon sun. Generally: Wow! A Meadowlark up close that remained long enough for these different but excellent shots. Very nice that he decided to take a dip and pick such a colorful landing area.
I can only imagine how much work went into cleaning up the pond but I don’t see any evidence of it, well done.
I don’t notice any distractions at all really and mainly because the Meadowlark is doing so well at capturing my attention.
Sure, there are technical elements like the brightness of daylight causing hotspots that are not perfect and not preferred as well as minor OOF FG elements but the subject is well worth being accepting of those minor negatives.
As critics here on this site, we always look for distracting elements in the spirit of helping each other improve our images but IMHO, it’s fair and worth the effort of viewing the image(s) through the eyes of an “Average Viewer”. After all, aren’t the average viewers the ones we’d really like to see enjoying our work?
I’ve never seen a meadowlark ever so these are especially wonderful. And a bathing meadowlark at that! Super job with the run and gun approach. It surely worked to get some unusual images and a fine portrait.
A really nice series, Dennis. The bird and the action make up for any distracting elements which, by the way, you addressed nicely. I grew up in SW Kansas where Meadowlarks are as common as grasshoppers (it’s the State Bird of Kansas), but we don’t see many of them here in NE Oklahoma, so these shots take me back. Thanks
