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Male Sparrow

One boy-bird - posing

One boy-bird - posing
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Canon EOS 50D

settings

Aperture 63/10 ISO 400 Shutter 1/160 Focal Length 200/1

location

Cambridgeshire, GB

upload_date

Apr, 2020

Views

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Awards

2020 Choice Award

Peer Award

Top Ranks

Top 20 rank

Top 30 rank week 1

Behind The Lens

Location

This photo was taken at a house I lived at a few years ago in Cambridgeshire UK, and there were quite a few shrubs in the garden which the local birds loved. I had been doing some plant shots in the garden and was just going back in when I spotted this little guy. As I was shooting hand-held I could get off a quick shot.

Time

The shot was taken in the early afternoon, but the lighting has come out quite warm looking as if it was nearer the golden hour (it really wasn't!)

Lighting

As you can see, the light is behind the subject and I did worry about the brown-on-brown effect of the sparrow getting (image-wise) lost in the bush because he was in shadow, but luckily he move just enough that there was a nearly clear area behind him.

Equipment

The image was taken on a Canon 50D at 200mm, f6.3 at 1/160, as I was hand-holding a slightly dim shot on a lens without stabilisation there was also the assistance of the house wall - always useful to have a handy wall to steady your shot!

Inspiration

I usually miss the moment on shots of small birds - they just move to fast for me - but it doesn't stop me trying!

Editing

Despite the less than optimum lighting I didn't need to tweak it much in post, what I did need to do though was crop it - even zoomed in there was still far to much shub and not enough sparrow in the original so it had to go!

In my camera bag

The Canon 50D is my go-to dslr - at the moment paired with a nifty fifty as I've recently had to slim down my photographic gear, but as soon as I can swing it financially I'll be re-aquiring a version of the lens I used for this photo: Canon's 70-200L. For a walkabout lens it does everything I need and more.

Feedback

Never turn your camera off/pack it away on the way back from a shoot - that's always the moment you'll see something you want to shoot and need it in a hurry. You can always pack up when you're back in your house (or car, if you're out and about), but however clever your modern camera is it still can't get back the shot you missed taking!

See more amazing photos, follow hspall

hspall

hspall

Male Sparrow

One boy-bird - posing

Behind The Lens

See more amazing photos, follow hspall

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