CARDINAL AND BIRCH, a photo from Virginia, South

Photographer's Note

EARLY SIGNS OF SPRING

I am a scientist and artist, but my knowledge of science outside physics is quite limited very little botany, even less ornithology. Nonetheless, when it comes to appreciating beauty in nature it does not take too much incentive for me to grab a camera. So it was one year ago, when I was sitting at my MacIntosh, enjoying new photos arriving at TrekEarth. Then suddenly, when I looked out from my study window, alas! A site to behold a gorgeous cardinal, perched on a branch of a peeling birch tree just outside the window nature showing off its colors. This is a second portrait of the same bird that I had posted last spring.

The little I knew about ornithology included the fact that in the world of birds, it is the male of the species that displays the most colorful plumage, exemplified most dramatically in the male peacock, but also seen here in the cardinal. According to the information I could muster, Cardinals, or Cardinalidae, are members of passerine birds perching songbird living in North and South America, its name inspired by the vestments worn by Catholic cardinals. Other defining traits of the species include their mating in early spring, their nesting in loosely woven tall bushes, and their diets comprised of seeds and small berries. Herein lies a remarkable connection: it is the berry of the holly bush, rich in beta carotene and lycopenes, that is responsible for the brilliant coloring of the male. For some odd reason, the female does not gorge on this berry, and accordingly does not display the vivid coloration. Nor does it get intoxicated as does the male of the species, as sometimes fermented berries make them drunk. Males!

I was happy that the bird did not fly away during the 15-20 seconds it took me to retrieve my camera, mount a 70-210 lens, and fire a few shots between the slats of the Venetian blinds. The focus is a bit soft, I was shooting through a double-insulated glass, I believe, filled with Argon gas. When I opened the deck door to photograph the bird directly in clear air, rather than through glass and gas, the motion frightened the bird off.

In framing my photos, I've settled on a different formula over the past year, still creating frames/masks, still using colors from the image itself, but reducing their widths. I would be grateful to have your suggestions about what others feel about frames. Accordingly, I posted last year's version to ws. Thank you to dear fellow Trekies.

AROBN54, carper, gunbud, jpinkham, MLINES, siolaw, belido, salvator, ahaberal, delic, Dpbours, Matthew-Watt, jlbrthnn, Tue, Henryk_Bilor, azaf1, stego, Cricri, jhm, isabela_sor, tober, Emile, ChrisJ, Olympos, ahmetgedikli, vincz, danos, evanrizo, paura, cfreire, dareco, macondo, daddo, asajernigan, nivaldo, maloutim, axiotea, zoomer, Kielia oznaczył to zdjęcie jeko użyteczne

Critiques | Translate

Nicou (193814) 2008-02-17 8:36

Hello,

mangigieu cet oiseua tout orange, sur s branche, tranquille, le contraste de couleur est mangigique avec la couleurd de l'arbre.

Bravo et amitiés de la Suisse

Nicou

erel (11890) 2008-02-17 8:41

MERHABA
Gayet karışık karışık olduğu kadarda hoş ve süper net bir kare tebrikler. EREL

chpp (4283) 2008-02-17 9:24

Hi Bulent
I think you did a nice capture of this little critter. good colours, details and light
cheers
chris

AROBN54 (11475) 2008-02-17 9:37

Warm greetings, Bulent,
what a pretty little shot. I love the angle of light you caught and the color is just awesome. The details in the bark are fantastic. Nice glimpse into the season to come. Many thanks and kindest wishes,
Shelly

carper (96) 2008-02-17 9:52

ah Bulent I saw you never before as a bird photographer.
I like the shot, I am a landscape photographer and also I can make some macro shot's you can find them here
The bird is wel captured in a fine composiktion, very nice photojob and ofcoarse a fine note, thanks for sharikng my friend.
gr. jaap

mesutilgim (0) 2008-02-17 10:28

Selam sevgili Bülent,
Bu yaratık bzim yörelerin tanıdığı bir kuş değil. Acaba kardinal'ler mi adlarını bu kuştan almışlar, yoksa tersi mi olmuş !!!
Her nasılsa, bu kare çok başarılı. Pek çok güzel detayı içinde barındırıyor.
Ağaç'ın (birch 'ün karşılığı huş ağacı galiba) kabukları modern sanat eseri gibi. Verdiğin açıklamalar da her zamanki gibi mükemmel.
Tebrikler
Kar altındaki İstanbul'dan selam ve sevgiler
MESUT ILGIM

gunbud (34066) 2008-02-17 12:41

Hi Bulent,
Great capture of this fellow's bright red and blue grey plumage that contrast wonderfully with the detailed blue-white birch bark. Beautiful light renders lovely shadows and varying tones of white to the peeling bark. Outstanding nature composition with a very informative note.
Regards, Tom

jpinkham (870) 2008-02-17 18:23

Well, Bulent, as we dig out from perhaps our worst storm of an already exceptional winter, any sign of spring is most welcome! :)

Im charmed by the vivid red plumage youve caught so well here, and I like the forward-looking point of view. I also like the pleasing juxtaposition alongside the white birch, and the lighting and depth of field.

Good work and a great note, as usual. I agree with you about picking frame colors from the image itself, and here on TE, Im leaning toward the more discreet frames, generally, when I feel a frame is warranted. This somewhat minimalist approach seems in keeping with the bent here toward minimal post-processing.
Warm regards,
Jim

Angshu (56760) 2008-02-17 21:21

Hello Professor "A"
I immediately had a feeling that I had seen this lovely bird before..your link was my answer. Very nice colour & contrast with the BG making it standout. USe of DOF is most appropriate here. Your frames & how you create them is unique. Sometimes the colour of the frame tends to draw away attention from the picture itself, not so in most of your posts.
With Warmest Regards
Angshuman

MLINES (12516) 2008-02-17 23:20

Hi Bulent. Very pleased to see your ability to "Branching out" with this fine nature composition. I like to see the way it is well cropped and clear. The DOF is good and background does not distract. TFS. Murray.

wolf38 (30) 2008-02-17 23:33

Hello Bulent. An exotic bird as indications of coming spring. Why not. It warms itself in the sun. The best opportunity for a photo. Motive, composition and light are outstanding. The detailed and informative text is exemplary. Best regards, Wolfgang.

jasmis (58653) 2008-02-18 0:58

Interesting nature photo. Colourful bird and rather B&W tree - impressive set of elements.
Regards.

kibele66 (3087) 2008-02-18 1:42

Merehaba Dear Bulent,
Turkey is completely under snow recently, so your dear lovely red gift brought warmth and hope to us.
This photo is differing from your other shots both by composition and subject i think. Not only the bright colors and the pose of the Cardinal, but I also enjoyed the details of the barks of the silver birch (kayin agaci in Turkish i think).
You're very lucky being so close to the nature from the window of your study. Thanks for the great explanations.
selam ve sevgilerle
Sibel

Bluejeans (64251) 2008-02-18 1:49

Ola Bulent ,
Fantastico passaro a natureza e perfeita tem umas cores lindissimas para chamar atençăo das femeas , gostei muito do enterlaçado dos ramos ,parabéns!!
Um abraço Gonçalo

TGULUMSER (13252) 2008-02-18 1:56

Hello Bulent Bey,
This composition is very interesting with the unusual tree and the bird. The color of the bird is amazing and he is looking at us with the proud as if he is responsible for the cracks over the body of the tree.
Best regards, have a nice week,
Tulay

meltemi (0) 2008-02-18 6:45

Hello Bulent,
a picture of Great Art! I'm always touched by the quality of picture you propose and I remember very well the other wonderful photo with the same subject. The richness of details, sharpness, color, contrast, everything is at the top. Great pose too, I like to see how the bird is using the tail for balance. The texture of the birch bark makes also for a nice photograph. Very nice and instructive note as well.
Warm Regards.
Stella

emka (158988) 2008-02-18 8:03

Hi Bulent,

I remember this wonderful bird from the last spring. You were lucky (and we as well) that it did not fly right away. I like the photo very much. Thanks for sharing

redgards

Malgorzata

siolaw (38294) 2008-02-18 9:18

Hello Bulent
I like this well composed image with the off centered cardinal giving a strong color touch and the peeling birch plus the bokeh branches doing a nice BG.
Well seen and lucky catch!
Laurent

belido (19934) 2008-02-18 9:45

Hi Bulent,

effective use of the tele to catpure this colorful bird in a graceful way. This is pure nature. The simplicity of the scene is what pleases me most. Regarding frames, I find them very usuful to catch our attention in a webpage. I always use it in my compos however I prefer not to use colors (only black or white, according to the scene light). Your frame works really fine. It matches the background color and it doesn't hurt my eyes at all. Very good work!
Regards,
Carlos

salvator (19110) 2008-02-19 1:19

Hello Bulent Bey,
Wonderfully composed and expertly shot, probably with a wide aperture to focus on the branch and bird, with the thin branches filling the framing beautifuılly. The color of the bird is absolutely superb.
Best personal regards. Salvator.

ahaberal (6469) 2008-02-19 10:12

merhaba hocam
bakınca çok güldüm,bide mesut beyin yazdıklarını okuyunca))
kuş bize yabancıda fotoğrafların güzelliği yabancı değil.
elinize sağlık
kaçkarlardan selamlar

berek (50518) 2008-02-19 11:25

Merhaba Bülent bey,
harika bir renk uyumu ve zamanlama . çok net bir çekim. ellerinize sağlık. selamlar.
Burak Erek

dokadak (11518) 2008-02-19 12:00

Hi Bulent,

What a lovely sharing it is!..
A great timing, good colors and details...
I really love it...

regards
hasan

Dpbours (222) 2008-02-19 12:20

Hi Bulent,

A lot of enthusiastic reactions and nice colours for sure. But the focus is just behind the bird. You can see it in the branch behind and the tree bark. I post quite some birds in TrekLens and I'm laying often on my belly trying to catch them, so I do see it if the focus has just ran away. And at such distances it's often hard to keep it well focussed.
I often focus, put it to manual, then take three pictures while manually focussing just below and above the AF. One of the three will then be sharp ;-).

Greetings,
Dennis

delic (6735) 2008-02-19 13:55

Merhaba,
I do remember the earlier one. This is also very good, esp. the colors, and the tree trunk. I would consider giving it a serious crop though. Just the bird and the trunk... Not sure if the resolution will hold up. With such a backyard, you should really get a 300+mm lens :). Best wishes,
Hakan

Matthew-Watt (5934) 2008-02-19 14:24

Hello Bulent,

Strange, I had a dream about this bird recently and today I see it in your post. It is not even a bird that I ever seen for myself and yet I have dreamt of it. Surely this is one of North America's most colourful and best known birds along with the Blue Jay, Bald Eagle and Woodpeckers. I have seen photos of these birds sitting amongst the snow and they certainly look beautiful then, the contrast is amazing. I like how here he sits in the natural surrounds, as if he is surveying the landscape for a rival or a mate, or perhaps just a meal. A very special photo, I like the link to your other previous post also. Well done, thanks for sharing this avian beauty with us!

Matt

resato (475) 2008-02-20 1:57

Hello Bulent!
I'm delighted by this image! As you tell us, you didn't have much time to take it, nevertheless it's a superb one. As to the framing, I'm not a specialist and havn't used any up to now, but IMHO I find thick or overloaded frames disturbing. So, to me you did well.
Best regards, René

jlbrthnn (76043) 2008-02-20 6:27

Hello Bulent,
It is by no means question of science or technology to be sensitive to this spectacle. Your talents of artist and photographer are enough. Excel work.
Have a nice day
Cordially
Joëlęl

Tue (93606) 2008-02-20 13:50

Hi Bulent,
Excellent capture of this lovely little bird in the birch tree. His red feathers bring him out very nicely against the background. Also the tree add some fine colours in contrast to the background. Wonderful light too. Great work, thanks for sharing!
Regards,
Lars

Henryk_Bilor (20803) 2008-02-21 2:27

Hi Bulent
I guess that the bird didn`t intend to fly at all, it seems to sit there very bored, or maybe tired...;)
Very nice light, composition with the tree`s trunk and good depth of field.
Regards

stego (24132) 2008-02-21 12:54

Hello Bülent,
I remember well your first post of this beautiful bird. You caught it very nicely, its colour makes a very good contrast with the BG and the trees make a nice BG whose graphic wealth doesn't interfere with the bird.
Regards, José.

azaf1 (15931) 2008-02-22 1:47

Bulent good morning
Indeed the cardinal is a great red touch in the grays of this time of year and a good sign of the coming Spring. A lovely frame and POV that brings out his beauty
best wishes
Argiris

Cricri (176) 2008-02-22 5:10

Hi Bulent,
Compliment pour ce joli moment de la prise de cet trés bel oiseau rouge, qui a l'air de poser pour vous!! belle lumiére et DOF, trés jolie
Have a nice day for you
cricri

setenay (7706) 2008-02-22 12:17

Merhaba Bülent Bey,
Bizim ancak hayvanat bahçelerinde görebileceğimiz bu güzeller güzeli kuşu siz bahçenizde doğal haliyle yakalamışsınız. Üstelik bu en hareketli varlığı mükemmel netlikte çekimle sunmuşsunuz.Geçen yıl da buna benzer kırmızı kuşlu karenizi hatırlıyorum. Kardinal adı da yakışmış.Tavus kuşlarınında erkeği süslü buda böyle rengarenk.Kuşların hanımları daha sade demekki.Tebrik ederim,Elinize sağlık,selam ve saygılarımla
setenay

isabela_sor (47748) 2008-02-22 13:20 [Comment]

Show Comment

jmcl (14535) 2008-02-22 21:19

Hi Bulent,

At least at 800 pixels it looks great .. even through all the glass .. I spent some time thinking about the proportions here .. and I think the composition is wonderful .. I like the frame as well .. at least for the web .. enough to set it off without weighing on it .. very nice.

take care,

John

jhm (211738) 2008-02-23 0:43

Hello Bulent,

I think that this the first bird of you on TE!
Good work and a great note, as usual.
I read that you the bird photographer behind double-insulated glass, than have to I say congratulations, for this image.
The picture is not 100% sharp and the focus is not exactly on the bird but everyone can see which bird this is.
I'm busy with a 100-400mm lens every day take birds, but this is o so difficult, I'm no specialist dear Bulent.
Thanks for sharing.

Have a nice weekend,
John.

tober (8797) 2008-02-23 7:58

Merhaba Saygıdeğer hocam, ne güzel tam bilgisayarınıza bakarken pencerenizin önüne böyle bir misafirin gelmesi. Adeta "beni de çekin" der gibi... Küçük olmasına rağmen, canlı renkleriyle güzel bir kuş hakikaten. Aydınlatıcı notunuz da her zamanki gibi büyük bir sabır ve emekle hazırlanmış.

Saygılarla...

Tolga

Emile (20352) 2008-02-23 13:53

Hola Bulent.
A wonderful photo of the beautiful Cardinal bird, very well captured between the slats of your Venetian blinds. Your composition has a lot of details and one is that it looks like a macro-shot, good colors and sharpness.
About your question of the use of frames I don't use it, to make a frame decrease the size of your shot, but this is my humble opinion.
Thank you for sharing.
Best regards.
Wish you a nice weekend.

ChrisJ (172466) 2008-02-24 0:29

Merhaba Bulent

Very good dof & sharpness, on the red feathered bird, & birch tree. Superb sharpness, & interesting graphism of the bg branches. Tfs!

ryno (6869) 2008-02-24 7:54

Hi Bulent, you have an excellent idea for the small detail. Here there is great contrast in colour and texture. Also very good sharpness, esp. considering the difficult subject. A very attractive image . Well done!
Regards,
Ryno

ahmetgedikli (25609) 2008-02-25 4:24

Hocam; Geçen senede böyle bir fotoğraf yollamıştınız. Netlik, renkler, detaylar nefis... Kuşların öyküsüde çok güzel. Teşekkürler, selamlar
Ahmet

vincz (19113) 2008-02-26 1:30

I love this little red one in the tree. Beautiful catch of the branches with lots of depth. A great one.

danos (110407) 2008-02-26 4:53

Hello Bulent,
a difficult shot for this colourlul cardinal with great contrasted colours between the leafless tree and the bird.You were very lucky to 'catch' your camera and capture some shots.We see the marvellous result proportionate to the effort.Very informative your note.

Regards,danos

lraew (42) 2008-02-26 15:31

As we discussed recently - I love this capture. The way you handled depth of field, the peeling birch and the vividness of the bird makes you feel a part of the scene. You can feel the coolness in the air and smell the crispness of winter. Yet another beautiful shot! Thank you for all your help with becoming a member of Trekearth. I am really enjoying it!

paura (25802) 2008-02-27 16:57

Bulent,
Interesting shapes here. Lighting and colors are also very nice in your composition.

Abraços do Brasil.

Paulo

evanrizo (462) 2008-02-28 3:07

Hi dear Bulent,
as a thumbnail looks a little confused, but in the real dimension
is a stunning composition with this proud and mysterious being!-:)
It looks so natural beautiful and very calm and ideal between all these lops.
The bird has a funny head.
Have a nice time.
Evangelos
tomorrow...

testmaniac (13508) 2008-02-28 5:37

Hi Bulent very good shot and very nice bird! Nice colors and composition indeed.

TFS and regards,
Philip

mursaloglu (8682) 2008-02-28 6:58

Dear bulent bey
Is a very charming and stunning compo and great POV in this marvelous nature photo. Great sharpness and fine details. Best regards sir ihsan

Burberry1 (6041) 2008-03-01 7:05

Excellent, vivid shot, full of fantasy and life.

Agnieszka

cfreire (11741) 2008-03-01 11:59

Hi Bulent,
Splendid shot about this marvelous cardinal with intensive red colors. Great sharpeness and the unfocus of background is very good. An excellent work. Best regards, Consuelo

dareco (17136) 2008-03-01 22:16

I too am very happy that this bird did not fly away. This cheers me up and reminds me of the beauty all around us if we just take the time to smell the roses. A beautiful bird, but also the peeling birch. TFS

macondo (20449) 2008-03-02 4:26

Hello Bulent.
I have just discovered your impressive gallery.
I love this one very much. The detail on the birch tree is just as interesting as the cardinal bird itself, and certainly the colours and textures make a stunning contrast. The shallowness of the DOF (if that is not an oxymoron) makes the subject stand out brilliantly, and the square format lends pleasing proportions to this scene with its well positioned bird. Yes, the focus is a little 'soft' but remarkably good under the circumstances described; it's interesting that the long lens has focused more on the tree behind the bird but by only inches. I found your detailed notes to be very interesting. Very well done.
Regards,
Andrew

daddo (28748) 2008-03-02 14:49

Merhaba Bulent. Brilliant creature and by all sounds, a happy little alcoholic. Is that why it's perched at an angle or maybe it's bracing itself against the wind.I get the impression that the wind is behind it, judging by the inward bending tail and crest feathers. It look splendid against the birch tree.Lovely light also. Selamlar. Klaudio.

ysabaner (1069) 2008-03-09 7:21

Bülent Bey merhaba,
Ağacın rengi kuşun cıvıl cıvıl rengini çok güzel vurgulamış, her zaman yakalanması kolay olmayan bir görüntü, elinize sağlık.
Yahya

asajernigan (21427) 2008-03-22 6:33

Bulent,
This is a nice closeup of this cardinal. The sharpness and details are fine showing the bird and the peeling birch tree. The lighting and colors are fine as well.
TFS,
Asa

nivaldo (15417) 2008-03-29 13:39

No matter wether your poor knowledge (and mine !)about ornithology ...
That´s really a nice presentation!
A beautiful red gorgeous cardinal, my friend!
Tesekkür ederim , OBRIGADO !
Um abraço,
Nivaldo

maloutim (13617) 2008-04-05 13:06

Hi Bulent!
Lucky Americans to be able to enjoy the sight of this beautiful bird, which I had a few glimses of uin Indiana, some years ago!
Great capture of the red cardinal against the white birch!
The trellis of blurred branches in the background also gives a good effect, as does the frame coloured the same !
Best regards.
MarieLouise.

westozman (0) 2008-04-08 4:27

Hello Bulent!
I've just come across this image in your gallery, and had to stop & congratulate you on a splendid effort, given the time you had & the obstacles to overcome. This pic epitomises the essence of photography - capturing a special subject and moment in time, forever. Wonderful stuff - and a lovely story in your notes, too.
Best wishes,
Jeff

axiotea (21651) 2008-05-31 7:53

Hello Bulent
i like everything in this image, the light, subject, contrast, colors, texture(of the tree bark) ;) and also the branches creating a great graphical impact. The square format is working well too! I could not tell you which of the two versions, would be the best...To me, they are both fine!
Cheers

jafadabret (56501) 2008-12-23 2:03

Bonjour Bulent.
Cette photo me plait beaucoup avec ce rouge de l'oiseau devant le gris de l'écorce du bouleau. Le télé-objectif a fait merveille, la netteté et le piqué sont au rendez-vous.
Happy Christmas !
Jacques

Urs (14082) 2010-09-16 6:57

Hi Bulent

What a lovely bird, so colorful, and also your POV is superb. A cardinal, that is fitting the color looks almost like that. Very good photo job. Thanks for your critique of my sunset at Giant Albukhari. Yes, kids tell the truth, what is good so.

Warm regards
urs

zoomer (6) 2011-01-09 9:31

Hello,thanks for your interest and improvement to my picture.This shot is marvelous the birch with its bark makes the perfect place for the cardinal.Friendly regards Wolf.

Kielia (24077) 2014-03-18 8:51

Dear Bulent,
thank you for drawing my attention to this wonderful image. It is really very attractive with the birds color attracting the eye. Compositionally the photo is very well balanced and the light management is excellent. I also enjoyed reading the notes. My compliments!
Warm regards,
Harriet