Recently I had a Yogi Berra moment while I was culling images.
1/3200, f/6.3, ISO 640, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
I’m often surprised by how often birds repeatedly perch in the same spot. I probably shouldn’t be but I am.
Some readers may remember this image of a juvenile White-crowned Sparrow perched in a Wild Rose bush I posted several weeks ago. The bush is huge with many hundreds of available perches but most of them are deeply buried within the plant where I can see little of any bird perching there. So I was pleased to catch this one out in the open despite the sidelight and the soft rose hip.
1/3200, f/6.3, ISO 500, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
Three days ago (almost a month after the previous image was taken) I photographed this juvenile White-crowned Sparrow on the same spot on the branch. I wasn’t even aware that both birds were on the same perch until I recognized the out-of-focus rose hip while culling images two days ago. I like this image much better than the first one because the light angle is better and I simply adore the pose of the sparrow.
Much ado about nothing perhaps but I found it interesting to compare the two birds on the same perch, especially because one is a juvenile and the other an adult.
1/2500, f/6.3, ISO 500, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
Here’s an adult in the same Wild Rose bush. This is an example of the compromises I often have to make while cropping images. In this version I cropped the image to highlight the way the branches frame the sparrow but in doing so the bird has to be centered in the composition which isn’t ideal.
But I do have another option.
1/2500, f/6.3, ISO 500, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
In this version of the same image the sparrow is no longer centered and it’s larger in the frame so it shows more detail but I’ve lost some of the branches framing the bird.
I’m undecided which composition I like best so if any of my readers have a preference I’d love to hear about it.
Ron
I like both crops for the reasons you mention. I think it is pretty cool that the juvie happened to be in the exact same spot.
Conversely, maybe they’re just messin’ with ya. 😉
They all are good and tell different stories. My initial reaction was the last one, but after reading other comments and looking at the photos again, I can see why people liked them all. Thanks.
It seems that birds were aware of ‘Position, Position, Position’ well before the Real Estate Agents.
The last image for me – an more intimate view.
That said, I like them all.
Thanks for that feedback, EC. It seems to be almost unanimous – most prefer the composition in the last photo.
I like the second cropping better than the first. The bird is still framed by branches, and the rose hips seem to me to be less busy in that one. My bottom line is that I think the second crop cleans up the image without losing anything. I also really like the pose of the adult on the same branch as the juvenile had been. It is definitely not a usual bird pose.
You make a good point about the rose hips being busy, Susan. I’d like them better if more of them were sharper.
For me, birds are like people in in some ways when it comes to photography. In portraits we like the “face”, the connect of the eyes and the features around them. The closer and sharper the better. It “feels” like a better connect then. So for me it is the last one.
“The closer and sharper the better”
I agree, Ron, but only up to a point on the “closer” part.
Between the third and the fourth I choose the last. The third is too centered for me.
But the one I like the most is definitely the second. Very beautiful and inquisitive pose.
By the way “Sparrow” in Portuguese is “Pardal”.
I agree about that pose, Jorge. And thank you for yet another interesting Portuguese lesson.
“I Like best”? Why?
I chose both for the same reason. They are both very well crafted compositions. I encountered this a lot when I was more active in NPN critiquing or being critiqued. If you have some purpose in mind, some location, some medium, a framed print for the wall of a dentist office, an ad in a magazine, a blog post, then you choose. You choose whats best for the environment it will be viewed in because the eye of the beholder is where it all matters. We tend to look at our own work more critically than others, but we don’t look at our own work in the same way others do. You saw it through the view finder, on your computer. We didn’t. You get to make decisions that others can’t and shouldn’t make. If you put either on your blog without the other you would get the normal responses I would expect. People have come to trust you judgement and know you will have crafted your image to the highest degree possible before the beholding begins for us. We expect that. We cherish that. The options you see aren’t our options. Although I might see many tighter crops in my mind, I don’t have enough information to see it looser as you, the artist can. I can only make decisions based on the available information. There is no “best” from my perspective. I view all of your presentations here as “Best” because…
…they are.
Neil, Whenever you mention NPN the memories come flooding back – most of them fond memories but certainly not all of them. I cut my photographic teeth at NPN and learned so much there that I’ll forever be grateful for. Lots of nice, helpful folks there, along with a few stinkers. You were definitely one of the former!
These are beautiful Ron, much enjoy the species!
The perch is excellent as well.
Thank you, Dick.
The centered shot, and had not heard Yogi Bear in along time.
Steven, Actually I was referring to Yogi Berra (legendary New York Yankee), not Yogi Bear. “Deja-vu all over again” was one of his many famous convoluted sayings.
The enjoyable thing about having a set of photos that each fall short of the photographer’s ideal is that preferences do come into play to an intriguing degree. I enjoy them all and I believe the second one will remain in my mind and heart the most clearly because of the delightful pose and ‘expression’ of the sparrow. It’s all the keener with the rose hip in soft focus! 🙂
And the fourth photo has its special charms for me, too. I like how the attention is drawn to the eye.
As always, thanks!
The pose in that second shot is something special for both of us, Alison.
Both are beautiful, Ron. I have a hard time with composition at times. I would agree with Judy above. I tend to focus on the subject and many of my shots end up with the subject centered, lol. I’m curious…you shoot in AV mode alot and wondered…are you able to get the high shutter speeds due to your lens? I have the same camera, but with Canon 100-400mm IS II 4.5-5.6. I’m still learning and very much a novice. But I started using the AV mode more based on some of your shots and I’ve been getting much improved shots. I use the auto ISO. I’ve never noticed my speed ever being more than 800.
Becky, Yes, my f/4 lens is faster than your f 4.5-5.6 zoom so I can get higher shutter speeds in the same situation but you should often be able to get above 1/800 sec. Adjust your aperture to do so.
I never use auto ISO.
Thanks, Ron. Most of the pros I know do not use auto ISO. Until I figure out all of this stuff, it’s worked pretty well for me, but I’ll try to branch out and start experimenting more.
Beautifully detailed shots Ron,thanks for sharing!
Charlotte Norton
Thank you, Charlotte.
Hi Ron,
I like the second version of the sparrow. Like you, I prefer to have the bird with more room in front of him than centered. And usually, I want to in as close in order to see the feather detail. But in this case, I would back off of the crop a little. I think it is just a little too tight. And just to add another comment if you don’t mind, I would remove the twig that is going into the sparrow’s back. Just my two cents for what its worth.
Frank
Thanks Frank. I don’t like that twig either but cloning it out just isn’t my style. It is what it is…
The birds are creatures of habit just as we are I suppose or things are “just right” in a particular spot. 🙂 I like the last photo best probably because there is more focus on the bird and less on the “frame” – no accounting for taste! 🙂 Good shots at any rate. 🙂
I understand that “creature of habit” thing, Judy. Thanks for the feedback on your preference.