Great spotted woodpecker (Dendrocopus major) Juvenile

[Jonathan Ashton]

• OM Digital Solutions OM-1
• OLYMPUS M.150-400mm F4.5
• ƒ/4.5
• 400mm
• 1/3200s
• ISO 4000
• Jon Ashton
• Flash not fired
• Tue, 18 July 2023 8:09 AM
• Jon Ashton
• DxO PureRAW 3

This morning I was complaining to Steve that there wasn't much going on in the backyard/garden. Nevertheless I later filled the feeding station and baited a tree stump. To my surprise I was rewarded by a visit by a family of Great spotted woodpeckers, I managed to get some images of the adults and offspring. This is a juvenile on the garden fence plucking up courage to go towards the feeding station. I did get some images of take off but they were not quite pin sharp.

OM-1 150-400TC ( 801.0mm FF)
Exposure mode : Manual exposure
Auto ISO : 2500
Exposure compensation : 0.0 EV
Shutter : 1/3200 sec
Aperture : F4.5

ACR/PSCC

 

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Jon, still very confuses in what you are looking for these days for feedback, but from my POV....

Firstly I would level the fence post, never quite understand why you crop with such little at the foot and truckloads at the top, did you consider allowing more below??? Good detail an exposure perhaps -1 & -2 on WB/Tint but personal as it's so close. Personally I would loose the blue case in the beam, but your call. I think the LH post should stay, for me it adds a 'hard stop' as the GSW looks to. Bird poo could be masked by adding lichen for a more 'pleasing image', but you like warts & all, but did you you clone on the vertical post???

Agree Juvenile with the red cap.

TFS
Steve

 

[Jonathan Ashton]

Thanks Steve, I did reply yesterday but I presume I didn't post it!
Comments well received,the fence post is a little cockeyed in reality so that's why it's cockeyed. I agree proportions of top to bottom could in theory have been different but there is a bunch of untidy nettles and sheep netting under the barbed wire. I didn't notice the blue in the beam, but looks reasonable - will bare in mind for future. I intentionally included the post for the reasons you gave. The bird poo - depends on the day - one day I would remove another I wouldn't - very subjective - depends on my mood. No I didn't clone the vertical post, though I think I understand why you asked. Thanks for the comments, they keep me thinking!

 

[Steve Kaluski]

• OM Digital Solutions OM-1
• OLYMPUS M.150-400mm F4.5
• ƒ/4.5
• 400mm
• 1/3200s
• ISO 4000
• Jon Ashton
• Flash not fired
• Tue, 18 July 2023 8:09 AM
• Jon Ashton
• Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic 12.4 (Macintosh)

Thanks Jon, if you added this additional stuff in that would have been great and offers a clearer mind set you had.

Just for comparison, withou the Blue, but some additional tweaks with the Tone Curve and linear Curve I think it offers a bit more pop, but subtle, colour appear cleaner, especially the BKG. :w3

 

[Jonathan Ashton]

Yes - I like it - especially the greens.

 

[William Dickson]

The RP does look better but, this don't work for me Jon. If the bird had perched on the wood and the 'clean' barbed wire wasn't there it would appeal to me.

Will

 

[Gabriela Plesea]

Dear Jon,

I like the subject even though it is quite small in the frame. Overall the bird is well exposed and pose is nice with good HA, that tiny bit of red is the focus of my attention:w3

At first I found the perch slightly overwhelming but somehow I feel it works to balance the image, especially since you included the vertical post. Do like the proportions in this frame and I can see why you captured this scene.

The bird droppings I would remove.

Lovely RP from Steve, subtle yet visible changes - looks great in terms of colour, a bit brighter and has more clarity.

Warmest regards and many thanks for sharing,

 

[Andreas Liedmann]

Hi Jon ... nice find and I would have tried to shoot it myself , so I can understand what you did .
Pose is nice .
Composition is matter of taste , I would prefer more below ... but you seem to like the different ratio in your recent postings .
Steve ´s RP does look better on the color front , matter of taste .

Good luck hope to see more .... TFS Andreas