DPChallenge: A Digital Photography Contest You are not logged in. (log in or register) 
 
Challenge Entries
Portfolio Images
This image is not part of a public portfolio.
Bluebird Ballet
Bluebird Ballet
Len Scap


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Animals In Motion (Advanced Editing VII)
Camera: Canon EOS-50D
Lens: Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS
Location: Canmore Alberta
Date: Apr 26, 2009
Aperture: f5.6
ISO: 400
Shutter: 1/2000
Galleries: Nature, Birds
Date Uploaded: Apr 26, 2009

 Captured today while out walking with my wife. The Mountain Bluebirds just came back to the valley this week after wintering somewhere warmer to the south. They are a very unreal looking blue when they are in mating colors,they fade a bit after June.
I cropped this one quite a bit (I shot it with the 100-400mm)I cloned out a barbed wire in the background that he was flying over. I adjusted the saturation, down, actually and did some selective curves to help out the back ground. minor selective color on the background as well.a small bit of dodge and burn on the eye areas.one pass of neat image smoothed the background.Some selective USM on the head and shoulders (just to control the dandruff).Then resized and saved for web. I hope you all like it.

Statistics
Place: 5 out of 143
Avg (all users): 6.9888
Avg (commenters): 8.5000
Avg (participants): 6.6119
Avg (non-participants): 7.2162
Views since voting: 8198
Views during voting: 572
Votes: 178
Comments: 35
Favorites: 10 (view)

Please log in or register to add your comments!

AuthorThread
 10/19/2009 03:49:36 PM
excellent capture. just gorgeous
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/27/2009 06:22:47 PM
I have shot just enough "attempts" of birds to know how hard this is. Despite the issues cited, it is a fabulous shot especially his turning I guess. In motion like that is what really makes this shot in my opinion! I see no issues with cropping; I think it accentuates the bird.

Beautiful!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/05/2009 02:53:37 AM
Wow this is one of the best photos i ever see on DPC, sorry for not winning, I do alot of birds photography and i know how hard to do a photo like this!!!!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/04/2009 04:18:57 PM
I've looked at this image about fifty times now, and all I can come up with is WOW! Beautiful shot, it's very elegant.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/04/2009 10:27:35 AM
Great photo, wonderful colors. Congrats on 6th, Rob.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/04/2009 02:29:26 AM
Congrats on the Top10 , this is a FABULOUS shot!!! One of my top 6 scores given.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
05/03/2009 03:56:44 PM
Amazing shot, I love the contrast. 10
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/02/2009 05:05:59 PM
excellent
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/02/2009 03:13:10 PM
Fantastic in flight catch of this guy.The bird himself seems a little grainy, but you probably had a tough time choosing between smoothness and preserving detail. Better than I could do, and still deserves a good vote for what you achieved.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/02/2009 08:14:28 AM
Wow! That bird is BLUE! Great pic, I'm rootin for you.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/02/2009 07:28:05 AM
Don't like the crop but the pic is full of nice color and detail :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/02/2009 05:01:54 AM
Great shot. A slightly crisper focus would have made it pop out a little better but I'm sure that at that speed that would have been very difficult. That said I love it. Top 10 I hope.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/01/2009 05:12:08 PM
Great photo - beautiful color contrast.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/01/2009 08:39:39 AM
Great capture,Great title.
What a beautiful shade of blue.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 04/30/2009 12:53:00 PM
impressive capture
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 04/30/2009 12:10:46 PM
Wow, what a gorgeous bird! Such vivid blue and you've made the most of it by choosing a contrasting background. The hooked body shape doesn't appeal to me, aesthetically, though I still admire the capture!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 04/30/2009 01:40:36 AM
This really is balletic - lovely, although a little less noise on the bird (there is also the hint of a 'selection' line above the bird's back), and this would have been a 10 from me. As it stands, a solid 8.
Edit - and now bumping to 9!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 04/29/2009 01:01:37 PM
Dang bluebirds are too photogenic by far! Fantastic pose, lighting and complementary background. Might bump the contrast just a touch and sharpen the head more. But this is a stunning shot; I wouldn't be surprised to see it ribbon.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 04/29/2009 11:39:41 AM
super capture
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 04/29/2009 11:34:33 AM
Love the color! great pict!! :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 04/29/2009 09:52:15 AM
Wow how pretty. I feel mesmerized by the blue. What a clear picture and I love the angles. Nice work.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 04/29/2009 06:36:55 AM
Marvellous shot , lovely bokeh , crisp , 9
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 04/29/2009 04:02:13 AM
I like this photo for the graceful motion of the bird, the color combination, and the blurred background. Very well executed!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 04/28/2009 07:57:10 PM
Nice contrast.Very good.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 04/27/2009 09:49:23 PM
Lovely capture - beautiful bird.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 04/27/2009 07:10:12 PM
I literally gasped when I say this!! Beautiful!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 04/27/2009 05:19:15 PM
From the thumb I thought this had ribbon all over it. Looking at it, I think it will do well, but the focus is just slightly off (or perhaps its the lens or motion blur). A great pic though. I love the colors and the wings.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 04/27/2009 04:05:25 PM
An Audubon quality capture, this is simple stunning. A perfect background well controlled puts the emphasis on the bird and suits the over all mood of the image perfectly. Rich in detail with no major or minor technical issues. At first, the artistic impression wasn't quite as good, but on a third viewing, this reviewer has changed the rating from a 9 to a 10. A top ten if not a ribbon contender. Well done.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 04/27/2009 12:58:35 PM
one of my picks for a ribbon...9
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 04/27/2009 11:52:43 AM
Wonderful use of colours and contrasts. Lighting is real good too.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 04/27/2009 09:27:06 AM
will get the Blue- stunning work !
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 04/27/2009 09:14:48 AM
Stunning capture. I know it's not spot-on sharp, but the colors, the lighting, the bokeh, the body position - just glorious. Not voting at the moment.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 04/27/2009 08:49:17 AM
Quite delightful. Your ribbon may well match your bird . .

:- )
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 04/27/2009 07:39:06 AM
The complementary colors of the blue with the gold background work well together. Nice capture! 7.

Congrats on your terrific placing! I had bumped this to a 8.

Message edited by author 2009-05-04 00:48:01.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 04/27/2009 05:05:19 AM
pity about the noise. Awesome photo nonetheless.
  Photographer found comment helpful.


Home - Challenges - Community - League - Photos - Cameras - Lenses - Learn - Help - Terms of Use - Privacy - Top ^
DPChallenge, and website content and design, Copyright © 2001-2025 Challenging Technologies, LLC.
All digital photo copyrights belong to the photographers and may not be used without permission.
Current Server Time: 04/04/2025 09:38:21 AM EDT.