House Finch (female)
A beautiful female House Finch shortly before a male House Finch tried to win her heart with song and a dead flower.
A beautiful female House Finch shortly before a male House Finch tried to win her heart with song and a dead flower.
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Canon EOS 80D
Aperture f/5.6 ISO 1250 Shutter 1/500 Focal Length 300/1 
Lindenwold, New Jersey, US
Mar, 2020Views
65
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Awards
2020 Choice Award
Emotions
Impressed
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Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken down the road from where I live in Lindenwold, NJ. I am a partly self taught, partly online photography course taught photographer with a passion for nature.Time
I remember there had been a chance for bird migration the night before, so out I went. Albeit a bit later than I'd planned. Spring was in the air even thought it was a bit chilly. As I reached the corner of my street, ready to head towards the local lake and its trails, I was stopped by some Chipping Sparrows, overnight migrant arrivals. There was a sound behind me, so I turned to find a female House Finch perfectly posed on a branch. She remained that way for a few seconds but I'll never forget that moment on March 27, 2020, 8:55 AM.Lighting
Thanks to the overcast skies, I was able to get pretty even lighting and the image wasn't over nor underexposed. Overcast skies make for beautiful lighting and, in my opinion, greater freedom in post processing.Equipment
I shot this using the Canon EOS 80D with the Canon 75-300mm F/4-5.6. No other gear was used.Inspiration
I'm always looking at trees, tree branches to be exact, and sticks, basically anything that allows a bird to perch without any obstructing features and a clean background. I'd marked this tree mentally at an earlier date and considered it every time I walked past it. However, for this shot, it was literally spur of the moment. I wasn't expecting the House Finch to land when and where she had. Quite literally, I turned around upon hearing the finch, spotted her moving onto the branch, the best position possible, and quickly starting shooting. My heart was pounding rapidly as I checked the photos, hoping I'd managed to capture her good side in the very brief window I'd been given. Sure enough, this one turned out pretty good.Editing
The main issue with the photo was a lot of empty, boring space with no purpose and the image was a little soft. To fix it, I sharpened the image after cropping it to the rule of thirds. Which lead to a slightly dull looking photo. In order to fix that, I increased the contrast a bit, lowered the whites, and upped the blacks just a tad. Finally, I increased the temperature slightly in order to bring warmth to the photo.In my camera bag
Currently, I always have the Canon EOS 80D slung around my neck with the Canon 75-300mm F/4-5.6 attached. A cheap telephoto lens, that, in semi close situations, turns out some pretty good images.Feedback
New Jersey can have some interesting weather. Typically it's showers, thunderstorms, overcast skies, or sunlight. So being prepared for sun being covered by clouds is a must, especially in late March, when the wind is brutal. Wear the proper clothing so you are not shivering, causing blur or missing the moment altogether. Or so you are not overheating and risking your health, wear light clothing, typically shorts and a t-shirt. Always be prepared, know your target. Finches are often flighty but will, at random times, perch for a stretch of time. They often fight with each other or court the opposite sex with flowers and song. Know the habitat. Always be ready to move or switch targets. Birds are constantly moving. Have patience, sometimes you'll have to wait three seconds or ten minutes for your shot. It's worth it in the end.
