A few birds

[terrib]

I added a bird feeder to a tree that has less clutter to try and get some better bird pics. Here are a few from today.

I have to say I'm thrilled with this one. But it's ok for y'all to knock me down and tell me how to make it better. I considered cloning out the lower right twig but decided it added a little reality.



I would have liked a more level perspective instead of being so far below this one but he/she just didn't want to land on the lower branches close to the feeder. But how do you feel about the processing? I had to darken the sky and lighten the bird a little. I did make a conscious choice to leave the background twigs. I thought they were blurred enough to provide a natural background rather than a distraction.



This one was just fun.

[Otavio]

Terri, very nice shots! The colors and sharpness on number 1 are stunning! My vote goes to it. Well done!

[rudi]

Very nice shots Terri,
Nr 1 is my favourite for sure !
You could tone down the twig in the right corner, but I do not find it distracting.
Nr 2, processing looks fine to me!
Regards, Rudi

[Shadowman]

Very nice, lucky you.

[Mike Buckley]

I don't know enough about bird photography to know how good the first two are other than to mention that they are certainly very enjoyable. I'll leave it up to the birding enthusiasts to provide more helpful critique.

[terrib]

Thanks everyone for your comments. It's always encouraging!

[jprzybyla]

Quite nice Terri, I would be proud of all of them. As you mentioned... I would clone out the branch in the lower right of the first one. That is all I would change.

[Dave Humphries]

Very nice Terri,

I am undecided on the extra twig on the first; clone or tone (down)?
Without it you can crop slightly closer.

I don't know your tree, so I don't mind it not being there (if that makes sense).

It is a great picture though.

On #2, I agree the background branches aren't a problem - if mine I would consider carefully cloning out just the foreground one nearest the bird, leaving the three that go out of frame. I think I'd also try a little selective LCE on the bird, where you've had to brighten the bird, it looks a little 'flat' because of the nature of the light hitting it.

#3 is fun, glad you included it.

Well done,

[Bobobird]

#! - Lovely, I don't mind the branch.
#2 - Lovely. Background is a bit busy but that is how it is sometimes.
#3 - Lovely.

[Steve S]

A very nice job terri. The first, i think i would clone the limb out. Reason being, it makes a blue triangle on the corner of the image. The eye is attracted to triangular shapes, and makes you look from corner to corner in a circle. (in this case , it distracts you from the bird)


A couple of other tips.............................place your feeder in an open area with a good background. Place some perching limbs between the feeder and the background trees. Keep the limbs close to the feeder (a couple of feet or less and at the same height as the feeder, or slightly lower). When the birds fly in to feed, they will often land on the perch limbs , before hopping over to the feeder. (if several birds are there, they will wait their turn to feed, on the perch limbs.) This will give you time to take a few shots, with clean backgrounds. Try and orient the limbs in a natural angle. I usually use clippings or dead branches. Also make shure they are securly mounted, or the birds may not like using them.

Hope this helps, and keep up the good work.