Note to self...

[SARtech]

There are no small birds out when it's windy.

Found these guys behind my condo in a bush. This is my very first RAW shot. Not that great, but had to get that out of the way.
How do you like the composition though?

Kristine

[A.M.D.A.]

Well... to me this actually looks like it has more potential as two separate photos, cropped in half to make two. One half with the flying sparrows and the other with the perched ones. Also, if you can, clone out the somewhat distracting wires and apply a dose of unsharp mask and contrast.

Composition-wise, the perched birds are looking in opposite directions! Not sure if anything can be done to flip one's head around, though it is possible.

Nice action shot of a common bird.

[Loupey]

Sounds like you figured out the RAW thang pretty fast

Interesting image - the two in flight over the two perching against the rather abstract-looking lines of siding. Makes one stop and take a second look (always a good thing).

Since all 4 birds are lined up nearly in a line, I would crop this into an extreme portrait (like a bookmark).

[SARtech]

Like this?

I am still trying to figure out why they are blurry though. Shutter speed?
I shot at asa 200, 500th of a second I think. Slowest speed I have tried on birds.

Kristine

[SARtech]

or anyone...
"Nice action shot of a common bird."

Is this some kind of Sparrow? They go through my bird seed like crazy.

[A.M.D.A.]

House sparrow (Passer domesticus).

Two flying males, one perched male and one perched female.

[Loupey]

I am still trying to figure out why they are blurry though. Shutter speed?
I shot at asa 200, 500th of a second I think. Slowest speed I have tried on birds.

"ASA"?! You must be as old as me I see you also have a Canon A-1 - my first SLR back in '83 or '84 :thumbsup:

Yeah, 1/500 is too slow if you want the body sharp. 1/1000 would do that and still give you some blurred wing tips. 1/1500~1/2000 would freeze just about everything.

[SARtech]

YUP. I'm old. grrrrrrrrr. In years anyway. Everyone tells me I look 37-40, but I am "significantly" older than that. The A-1 was actually my second camera. My first SLR was an FTb n.

Great.... cats out of the bag now. Was hoping everyone would think I'm a hot young "bird".
waaahahaha