The Mail-birds

[SpeedingSphere]

How did I do? How's the crop? Edit it any way you want if you think it could be better. :-)

[Herriot]

Lovely capture and you have done well to keep your two birds in focus. Can you provide some techincal details on this shot please?

Perhaps a tighter crop would help, am not sure that we need to see the entire mailbox.

Thanks for sharing
Herriot

[mjs1973]

Pretty cool image! I love how you froze the male in flight while it appears the female is yelling at him. Great timing. I tried for some more bluebird shots this morning but they didn't want to cooperate with me.

I'm not a big fan of square crops (personal pref.) but I think it works here. I played around with it a bit, and the only thing that I liked was to just take a bit off the bottom. Maybe about half-way between the bottom of the mailbox, and and the part where the post gets wider. I think you need to keep the entire mailbox in the frame as it helps to anchor the image. One other thing that I would do is to straighten the image so the post is running straight up and down. It appears to be leaning a bit to the right. Not a big deal for some, and perhaps this is how the mailbox looks, but it's something that I find a bit anoying. The only other thing I would do is run this image thru some noise reduction software then print it. Vice shot!

[Loupey]

I too find the clockwise tilt annoying. Going to the extreme, I would say that the mailbox is not even necessary for this image (except for the title) because of the strength of your subject.

From your square format to my extreme rectangular edit of your image:

[SpeedingSphere]

Thanks guys! The mailbox was actually tilting down. I do think it would look better straightened up.

Here's the technical info:

File date: 2006:05:06 19:21:14
Camera make: Canon
Camera model: Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL XT
Date/Time: 2006:05:06 17:09:20
Resolution: 1000 x 1025
Flash used: No
Focal length: 400.0mm
Exposure time: 1/500
Aperture: f/7.1
ISO equiv.: 400
Whitebalance: Manual
Exposure: Manual
Exposure Mode: Auto bracketing

I think its a bit noisy for ISO400, yes? Hmm. Its also a very tight crop on the original.

[mtbbrian]

What I want to know is, how long were you there ntil you caught this frame?

I am with Herriot, you don't need to show the entire mailbox, cropping it so it is tight on the post on the left and just below the keyhole is good, in my opnion anyway.
That it provides a little visual balance.

Next time, please post a smaller file in both dimension and size.
We generally ask for files be no bigger than 640 pixles on the length and keep the files around 100kb.
You can also post them via html from your own gallery posted here.
Thanks!
Brian

[SpeedingSphere]

They are from my own host, but I'll try to keep the file size down next time.

I was actually just going to shoot the one perched on the wood post, and the male flew in and I snapped at the right time. I was really excited to see the 2nd bird on the exposure. :-) It was while I was walking along, and i was focusing for about a minute and waited for the bird to turn around.

**I'd like to resize the picture with the following link, but I cant edit my first post so if a mod could swap the links, thanks! Its smaller res and lower in KB

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3.../Mailbirds.jpg

THANKS FOR THE STICKY!!!

[Herriot]

Congratulations on the sticky! Well deserved.

[SpeedingSphere]

Thanks Herriot!

Also, How do I straighten pictures? I cant find the tool in photoshop CS2. Thanks!

[julsoph]

Nice capture, SpeedingSphere! I especially like the bird on the post...waiting expectantly.

Emily

[jorgemonkey]

Thanks Herriot!

Also, How do I straighten pictures? I cant find the tool in photoshop CS2. Thanks!

The easiest way that I straighten pictures is by right clicking the Eyedropper tool in the toolbar, and selecting the Measure tool. Then in your image click & hold, and drag a line on an object that you want to be straight. Once the line is drawn, goto Image -> Rotate Canvas -> Arbitrary and the correct amount to rotate the canvas will show up.

[LeeIs]

Very nice capture! well done and congrats on the sticky!

[SpeedingSphere]

Thanks! :-)

[Howard Kaste]

Yeah, I sympathize for the poor male blue bird. Like most husbands, he doesn't have the slightest clue as to why the wife is nagging him once more. Something said, or unsaid? Some date forgotten in the fuzzy cobwebbs of the brain? Looked at another female birdie the wrong way? Who knows? Only the ladies know.

[SpeedingSphere]

hahaha.. i love how everyone I show this to thinks the exact same.

Thanks for all the comments everyone!