Warbler with Chicks

[rpk717]

I shot this down at Beidler Swamp last year. This was the male feeding the brood. Both the male and female visited often. It's interesting how they nest in the cypress knees. Shot with the 1DMkIIn and 500mm lens, with 1.4xTC. I kept a shallow depth of field to blur the background, even to the point that the knee was OOF in places.

Comments and critique welcomed.

[mrsisu]

Well whats not to like about this shot. In short GREAT! :) :) :)

[debrown]

Great moment captured in this shot and well placed in the frame. The out of focus part of the knee on the left of the frame tends to distract and draw my eye away from the subject. Try putting a piece of paper over the left (make portrait) and see if you agree that doesn't tighten up the composition and get rid of the distraction. Having said that, I repeat, great moment captured!!

[rpk717]

Great moment captured in this shot and well placed in the frame. The out of focus part of the knee on the left of the frame tends to distract and draw my eye away from the subject. Try putting a piece of paper over the left (make portrait) and see if you agree that doesn't tighten up the composition and get rid of the distraction. Having said that, I repeat, great moment captured!!

Yep Don, I agree it is very distracting. The problem is it's part of the same knee that the nest is in and if you crop it out then the chicks/nest look out of balance to me, to much on the left side. I had shot some earlier in the day at a higher f-stop but then the BG was a problem. I think if I would darken that area it might help some. :confused:

[rpk717]

Hey Don I tried your suggestion, I think it does look better. Thanks.:)

[ngass]

Nice shot! I have had a hard time finding prothonotaries, let alone getting a good photograph of one. It is good you got the male warbler, it adds a splash of color to the image. Also, you added a nice bit of action with the baby's mouth open. I agree, the crop does help it a little. Great image!
By the way, what shutter speed did you use?

[rpk717]

I used a flash with a Better Beamer and the shutter speed was 1/125. It's pretty dark in the swamp.

[mrsisu]

Still love this shot and its a chore to get a 125 th shutter speed in the darkness at Beidler. Guess everybody has an varying opinion but think I like it uncropped as my eye goes right to the birds.

[Photobiologist]

I like both of them as well, but prefer the uncropped version. Well done for the dark!

Reminds me of a nest that I saw a LONG time ago - about the time I first started taking photographs. We were running live traps for a small mammal survey, and our line went right by a nest that was at eye level. A trap set was near the base, so we went by it twice a day for 32 days. The birds got used to us & would fly in with a worm within 2 feet of our head! I NEVER took a picture of them (but I've got several in my head...).

Thanks for sharing & bringing back that memory!