My first time photographing a male of this species in flight. I had to cheat a little to get it the way I want it but I finally got the photo.
1/5000, f/6.3, ISO 800, 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’ll say at the get-go that the “cheating” involved adding canvas. I didn’t have enough canvas, particularly on the right, so I added some for a more pleasing composition. I don’t like to do it so I don’t very often but I was tempted more than usual this time because it didn’t involve anything in the featureless background. If there had been any elements back there (leaves, an obvious horizon etc.) I almost certainly wouldn’t have done it.
I know, I’m rationalizing…
I photographed him two days ago at Glover Pond in Farmington. He’d been preening on a fencepost and I caught him soon after he lifted off. The background may look like sky but most of it is the smooth surface of the pond.
I’ve tried sporadically for years to photograph males of this species in flight and I’ve actually succeeded a few times but their color is so densely black it’s almost like trying to photograph a black hole so I always had a poor exposure on the bird and deleted the image. For that reason I call the males of this species ‘photon suckers’. Even if you do get a decent exposure on the bird the background is often blown out (too bright). But this time it worked out pretty well except for the side of the rump where I don’t have much detail at all.
I realize this photo won’t be everyone’s cup of feathers but for me it’s an accomplishment and I was happy to get it.
Ron
PS – I noticed a small but interesting detail. The catch light is almost smack dab in the middle of the small black pupil surrounded by the yellow iris. That produced three nearly concentric circles which doesn’t happen very often. I don’t see that as either good or bad, it just is. We probably wouldn’t even notice the catch light if it had been elsewhere on the eye but an obvious catch light isn’t so important when the eye is bright like this. A dark or black eye would be another matter.
The position of the catch light on the eye is also an indicator of where the sun was in the sky when I took the photo (yes, I like to get up early…)
That photograph is absolutely gorgeous!!!
I’m glad you like it, Joanne.
Photon sucker is a great term. Congratulations on your capture of this one.
Added canvas? HOW will you ever sleep at night? Canvas Shmanvas.
You’re right, EC – there are worse violations. But still…
“CHEATING”?… Big deal!!! If tour gial was to show what you saw, you did it…if it was to show exactly what the camera caught, then you are definitely public enemy # 1… nice imsge…
An interesting way to put it, Patty. Thanks.
This one looks like it’s suspended in time- emphasis on suspended. Perhaps due to the canvas (although I don’t know exactly what that term means).
Lyle, it just means adding more space in the frame that wasn’t there originally. Here the added canvas gives the bird more room to look/fly into which improves the composition.
Very nice photos Ron – love how the eye stands out and really catches your attention. Have never seen a Brewer’s, but we have an abundance of Great-tailed Grackles. At one supermarket that is close to a lake they are a constant parking lot nuisance.
Everett Sanbron, Prescott Arizona
Agreed, Everett – grackles can be a nuisance. But we never had them here until a few years ago so I’m probably more tolerant of them than some folks are. But for some reason I don’t cut the same slack for European Collared Doves and they have a similar story…
Nice shot. I see, or think I see, at least some detail on the rump. Congratulations on being able to capture this. I don’t have a problem with adding canvas in a situation like this – it definitely helps the composition. My favorite part of the photo is the feet.
Thanks, Susan. There’s a little detail there but not very much at all.
Nice! The body position and the weird/intense look to the eye with the catch light where it is…… 🙂 The light reflecting off the ridge of some of the feathers is also a nice touch. Anything that dark IS a huge challenge for exposure – well done….:) We have both grackles and brewers tho the grackles and red wings are what compete at the feeder.
I don’t see Brewer’s at feeders either, Judy. It would be interesting to know why some blackbird species appear at feeders and others do not.
Very cool! You got some amazing feather detail. I noticed the rachis — rachises? rachii? — on several of the primaries are glinting white. (I had to look up feather anatomy, so thank you for the teachable moment! 😃 ) I like the splayed right foot as well.
Marty, the rachis or shaft of the flight feathers can be a challenge for the photographer. It often appears too bright to the point of distraction and especially on small birds it can show up as wavy lines when sharpened. On many occasions I remove the rachis from my sharpening mask before I sharpen the image.
Very nice capture! You did a great catch with the feathers on this one…very nice definition! I would never have thought about canvas being added. First thought I had…the eyes makes it look like a grackle which is one of my least favorite birds. There is something about those piercing eyes that is disconcerting to me…
Kathy, this species and grackles have a very interesting competitive relationship. It’s complicated but in some types of habitats the blackbirds have the advantage and push the grackles out but in other habitats it’s the other way around. Several studies have been done on that relationship.
That’s a great shot of this photon sucker and a nice cup of feathers. Love the posture in this photo and the centered catch light, really neat looking. Thanks again Ron.
Thank you, Dave.