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Photo Information
Copyright: Bente Feldballe (milloup) Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 483 W: 41 N: 618] (1706)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2005-03-06
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon EOS 300D, Tamron 200-500 DI
Exposure: f/18.0, 1/500 seconds
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2005-03-06 10:51
Viewed: 2887
Points: 39
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Well, early in the week there was no sun and no work to be done, so no photos. Then work flooded in, and so did the sun. Now, ain't that typical ;-))
Anyway, today I wouldn't let the sun pass me by, so took the camera with the new lens with me when walking Milloup this morning. In one of the hedges I usually check out a bunch of house sparrows were making merry after the cold night (down to -9, if my information is correct). I still have to practice with this new beauty, because I'm not really the body-building type, so after a while my arms get worn out from holding almost 2 kg in front of my face ;-))
As it were, most of today's photos were just dumpers, anyway, as I'd forgotten to check the exp. comp. and was shooting at -1/3. But I managed to save this one with a good dose of "fill flash" added in Photoshop Elements. He's just coming in to land, only one foot is on his perch as yet.
One thing I noticed in the merry bunch, by the way, was that a lot of the males were already sporting black bills, and that means they were in breeding condition. I rather think that's a bit early when the snow's still covering much of the ground. But they definitely seem to be getting into "the mood", already.
Spring is around the corner ;-))

House sparrow Passer domesticus.
Male house sparrow has a brown back and light brown chest. The top of his head (crown) is grey and he is black beneath the bill (bip). Cheeks are white. The female is brown.
House sparrow used to be one of the most common birds in Denmark. They are still here in great numbers, but you don't find as many as before.
House sparrows live close to human habitation, both in the country and in towns.
The house sparrow ressembles the tree sparrow fairly closely, but can be distinguished by the fact that the house sparrow has a grey crown, whereas the tree sparrow has a nutbrown crown. Additionally, the tree sparrow has black spots on his cheeks. The house sparrow is slightly bigger than tree sparrow.
Treatment: Crop, "fill flash" +20, contrast +10, saturation +10, USM and resize.
CaptiveLight, livios, PDP, carper, elroyie, mogens-j, rlortie, hummingbird24, gerhardt, Callie, Luc, JeanMichel, chiliu, TAZ has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To gerhardt: Aperturemilloup 1 03-07 16:29
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Critiques [Translate]

Must be Sparrow season! Little bit of noise, especially mid tone areas of the bird, but a pleasing picture on the whole. I like the movement in the wings.

  • Great 
  • livios Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2156 W: 322 N: 4258] (16906)
  • [2005-03-06 12:10]

Bente, I like the picture. Probably, a difficult one to be captured.

Nice pov and composition. Great note too.

  • Great 
  • PDP Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor [C: 2821 W: 344 N: 3779] (11769)
  • [2005-03-06 12:32]

Hi Bente, very good capture. I like the movement and the composition is striking. The quality is good considering the movement, good work.

  • Great 
  • carper Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2010 W: 122 N: 2581] (8424)
  • [2005-03-06 13:31]

Wonderfull capture you made here Bente,
very good point of view, good details in the shot and I like special the freesing wings, very good pof and nice dof, very good job I like it

Very good catch and very good timing, great picture.

Very good capture Bente. Colours are very good and shows off very well against the blue sky. He is really struggling to keep the balance on that tiny twig. Very good sharpness/dof and the movement is well frozen for 1/500 sec.

  • Great 
  • bimbol (8)
  • [2005-03-06 15:20]

Work beautiful (fine) < beauty >. Color pleases me very and this dynamic movement of (traffic of) wing. I salute cordially.

  • Great 
  • jossim Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1576 W: 5 N: 2180] (12248)
  • [2005-03-06 15:35]

Bonne prise avec un beau mouvement d'ailes de l'oiseau en équilibre. Félicitation et merci pour l'envoi.

This guy is a real acrobat.
Very good capture. I like the warm light on it. Well done on picture and note.

Nice picture Bente.
Good movement, composition and colours.
Well done.

Composition:****
Technical quality:****
Wow factor:****
Personality:****

Very good capture, great action.
Well done.
TFS.

It's a great pose, POV and compo. The fill flash improved it I am sure. Why the large DOF? I might have tried F8 @ 1/1000s or even F10? I am just curious to know the reason for the choice because I seldom shoot bird at that aperture setting. Well done, Bente.

Hi Bente
Don't thow away -1/3! I shoot up to /2, and get good results. You can salvage a lot. I love this little guy doing an impromto pirouette! As for your arms - a monpod works wonders. Good to hear you have some sun. Sorry that I am scarce, just too much to do.
Bummer as you say. However, in two weeks, we are in Kruger for a week, hope some of the visitors - birds - are still there.
Have a nice day
Callie

  • Great 
  • Jeppe Silver Star Critiquer/Silver Note Writer [C: 36 W: 0 N: 33] (193)
  • [2005-03-19 11:56]

Oh - a very funny and special pose that little chap gave you - Glad to see this kind of sparrow - not a common at my house - thanks Bente.

  • Great 
  • Luc Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1873 W: 304 N: 4300] (14729)
  • [2005-03-24 22:56]

"Everything is carried out".
Tomorrow it is Holy Friday. Your sparrow has a shape of cross, that's why I used this sentence.
A very great work, Bente: picture and note.
Thanks.

Great Great Great Shot !
Nothing to say
Excellent

A bird in action is always an exciting image, but not easy to catch. Even if it's not perfect here (I regret wings tips vanishing), the sparrow position is very attractive, and the exposure is perfect. Razorsharp eye and head convey much of the sparrow personality. Very nice photo, Bente.

  • Great 
  • chiliu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1494 W: 0 N: 1175] (6494)
  • [2005-07-05 17:46]

Wonderful capture!
I really like the movement in the wings.The composition is perfect.
Great shot! Thanks!

  • Great 
  • TAZ Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2241 W: 47 N: 3167] (10926)
  • [2005-08-23 7:42]

What a nice bird that you have well captured ! I like its pose with the movement of wings. Colors and sharpness are good ! Thanks for sharing Bente.

  • Great 
  • optic Gold Star Critiquer [C: 322 W: 0 N: 0] (0)
  • [2006-03-12 19:50]

Very nice action shot, just in time! Congratulations!

Best regards,

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