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A Concert in the Park
A Concert in the Park
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Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Birds II (Advanced Editing VII)
Collection: Good - Average
Camera: Canon EOS-40D
Lens: Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS
Location: Bronx Zoo, NYC
Date: Jan 26, 2008
Aperture: f/5.6
ISO: 1600
Shutter: 1/20
Galleries: Nature, Animals
Date Uploaded: Jan 27, 2008

 This took some effort! I spent most of two days around my back yard and two different zoos. I drove an hour and a half to the Bronx Zoo figuring their big, open aviary would be perfect for catching some exotic birds amid the foliage... and it was closed for renovations! :-(

I had to settle for small dimly lit areas like this one. Handholding a 400mm lens at 1/20 sec and 1600 ISO isn't exactly my idea of fun. These little birds were fast, too! The best I could do was focus on the perch, then wait for the birds to land there and fire off a burst to get a couple of reasonably sharp ones.

Processing: Convert from RAW, Levels, USM, Noise Ninja, Dodge & Burn, added slight vignette, clone out the little leg band, spot saturation and color adjustments.

Statistics
Place: 10 out of 251
Avg (all users): 6.9577
Avg (commenters): 8.2692
Avg (participants): 6.8077
Avg (non-participants): 7.1009
Views since voting: 3008
Views during voting: 442
Votes: 213
Comments: 38
Favorites: 1 (view)

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AuthorThread
 02/04/2008 02:34:05 PM
I'm stunned that this only came in 10th place . . this was a 10 all the way from me.

- then I read what was involved . . now I want to give it a 12 :- )
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/04/2008 12:46:38 PM
Handholding a 400mm lens at 1/20 sec and 1600 ISO

In the deep south they have an exclamation that I think very appropriate here...

The hell you say?!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/04/2008 07:25:35 AM
I like the beautiful colors and rich contrasts.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/04/2008 05:47:14 AM
Excellent shot, Shannon. Congrats on top 10.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/04/2008 03:13:17 AM
WOW...love the story that goes with this Shannon
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/04/2008 12:33:29 AM
Excellent shot Shannon! I hadn't gotten this far before end of voting. Reading the comments I see you really go all out for these pictures. It is much appreciated. Well deserved top 10 or better.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/04/2008 12:18:44 AM
Great colors, Shannon. Congrats on top 10! This is where your knowledge of your camera and great editing comes to the fore.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/04/2008 12:11:42 AM
Congratulations Shannon!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
02/03/2008 07:55:01 PM
Nice composition, good DOF and wonderfully sharp. Even a photogenic bit of wood!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/03/2008 01:06:10 PM
Delightful, absolutely delightful. What is this little bird? I look forward to seeing where this was taken, and who by. Without doubt a solid 10.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/02/2008 09:14:25 PM
Beautiful!! I guess this gonna be a ribbon. 10
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/02/2008 04:36:18 PM
Delightful shot. Great PP and a great title.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/02/2008 03:08:31 PM
Cute caption and good detail in the bird feathers.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/01/2008 08:31:04 PM
Good focus, good color combination and lighting. I like the darkening of the background and the catchlight in the eye.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/01/2008 03:20:43 PM
Fantastic colours and DOF-beautiful
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/01/2008 10:17:15 AM
Love it.. A bird w expression or action is a good shot to me..
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/01/2008 08:52:38 AM
Very nice! I like the colors.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/01/2008 06:33:23 AM
If this were advanced I would process those bright green weeds out, but since it's basic we're stuck with them. Nice comp. good colors, saturation and contrast. Pretty little bird.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/01/2008 12:05:58 AM
My daughter says he's cute!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/01/2008 12:01:42 AM
Nice vibrant color!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/31/2008 11:58:26 PM
Great color, great lighting, great DOF.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/30/2008 11:32:12 PM
Very nice photo, shame the tail is no in focus.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/30/2008 07:13:02 PM
Love that little bird! crisp and sharp 8
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/30/2008 10:21:50 AM
As with many shots I'm seeing in this challenge, I love that the backgrounds are real and set off the subjects so well - this is no exception. A very nicely timed capture showing off not only the bird but it's song as well.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/30/2008 12:58:25 AM
Gorgeous!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/29/2008 07:52:38 PM
Dynamic colors. Nice blurred background!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/29/2008 11:14:33 AM
I absolutely love this. The background colors could not be better. Detail on the bird is stellar. Great image. 10
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/29/2008 09:37:37 AM
wonderful colors and great details! Well done!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/29/2008 09:20:10 AM
This is extraordinarily well done - 10 from me. And I will be interested in learning what lens was used.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/29/2008 03:32:35 AM
I like the placement of your bird. The amount of blur and colour of the background is just right. Very pleasing to look at.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/28/2008 06:43:38 PM
ery well done! 10
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/28/2008 05:52:52 PM
well how fabulous is this shot. crisp, clean, amazing colours not over processed. 10 straight across the board for this one. well done

this is my 4th or 5th time, re looking at this shot and have to comment again, I really like the background, it totally adds to the blueness of the bird. I like that it is blurry, if it was crisp I think this would have been a flat photo. Well done again
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/28/2008 04:55:14 PM
What an adorable little bird :-) Very nice detail and the pose mid-song adds a lot of interest to the scene. He also reminds me of one of those ornate stuffed birds women used to wear on hats for some reason.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/28/2008 04:19:59 PM
Great looking bird. Excellent colors and detail. Bumping up 1.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/28/2008 03:11:28 PM
Wow, what a clear, beautiful photo. And a beautiful bird, too, I have never seen this bird before.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/28/2008 01:30:33 PM
wow,so lifelike but at the sametime it looks so unreal...good lighting/color and focus either way,8
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/28/2008 12:49:45 PM
Really nice colours, it's a shame about the slight blur. 6.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/28/2008 12:20:04 PM
nice would have been a 10 but it looks to oversharpened 9
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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