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Morning Light
1st PlaceMorning Light
vawendy


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Free Study 2012-05 (Advanced Editing VII)
Collection: 2012 Challenge shots
Camera: Canon EOS-7D
Lens: Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro
Date: May 27, 2012
Aperture: 4.5
ISO: 800
Shutter: 1/1250
Date Uploaded: May 27, 2012

 [Jun. 2nd, 2012 09:17:15 AM]

I usually don't put in comments during voting, just at the end before roll over, but I'm so excited, and completely floored!! 39 votes at 7.46!! In a free study!

It's going to be a really long week...

[Jun. 7th, 2012 09:07:58 PM]

Last 3 hours, and it's at 7.55. 19 comments and 4 favs. I am so psyched!! It's been just an unbelievable week. I kept waiting for it to go down, and it actually dipped to 7.39 about 1.5 days ago. And the skyrocketed! I still don't quite believe it's real...

The bluebirds are back. Well, they're not back. This is a different pair that started nesting in the bluebird box quite awhile ago. They didn't find the mealworms that I put out on the deck, so I started putting them out on the sidewalk. When the found them, the next time I'd move the dish a little closer to to the deck. After about 6 days, I moved it onto the deck and they've been coming ever since.

It's hard to get a shot in my backyard, because it's north facing, and such a dark background with all the trees. This morning, the sunlight was so incredibly warm and beautiful. I took about 400 shots that morning, and had about 30 that I liked. This one went above and beyond the 30.

I was going to submit it for symmetry, but I was afraid it wasn't symmetric enough. It never occurred to me that it would do this well in a free study. I was hoping for a 6.7.

But I'll take this!

Thank you for the incredible comments and all the favs!

Here's the original -- yes, it really was taken with the 100 mm fixed.



There really wasn't much in the way of editing this -- mostly working with the tones.

I had to crop it in close because of the glass below. I would have liked to have more space under the bird.

Statistics
Place: 1 out of 273
Avg (all users): 7.5462
Avg (commenters): 8.6111
Avg (participants): 7.6322
Avg (non-participants): 7.3125
Views since voting: 5338
Views during voting: 255
Votes: 119
Comments: 70
Favorites: 20 (view)

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AuthorThread
 07/04/2012 08:41:29 AM
No surprise this nailed the blue! Congratulations on an outstanding image.

  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/13/2012 08:26:08 AM
Congrats on the ribbon. Did you notice all three ribbons are or have birds? LOL! I was thinking, looking at this again, this is where a better camera/lens comes in handy. I could never crop that small from one of my images.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/12/2012 07:02:40 AM
Beautiful bird and beautiful photo too. Nice work dude.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/11/2012 10:19:34 PM
Beautiful entry! Congrats on the blue, Wendy!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/11/2012 07:16:57 AM
I missed you too ((Hugs)).
Been meaning to comment on this beauty all week. Excellent, excellent work, Wendy. Many congrats on your win.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/10/2012 01:51:23 PM
the light IS beautiful. give a nice softness. congrats.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/10/2012 09:11:49 AM
Incredible. You can train your bluebirds with a bell. If you feed them at the same time and place, every time you put the mealworms out ding the bell one time. It shouldn't take more than a week or two.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/10/2012 08:59:32 AM
Stunning Wendy, congrats :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/09/2012 08:01:52 PM
I was rather busy during the voting period and never had a chance to vote on this image. I can assure you however that had I had the opportunity this image would have warranted a score of 10. I have a full appreciation of just how difficult it is to capture a good image of a bird in flight and cannot help but marvel at your abilities.

Very nicely done.

Ray
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/09/2012 04:33:11 PM
Wow, sweet shot, congrats on the blue!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/09/2012 03:54:59 PM
excellent job and great patience Wendy!
Keep up the great work and perfect finish!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/08/2012 06:30:35 PM
Great shot! Congrats, love to hear what the camera settings were -
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/08/2012 06:26:47 PM
Chalk another one up for the bird whisperer. Beautiful as usual Wendy. I swear you should work for National Geographic.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/08/2012 05:34:04 PM
Your very hard work and determination does pay off well! Congrats on winning a FS!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/08/2012 04:34:23 PM
Beautiful shot! Congrats!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/08/2012 02:39:34 PM
Congrats Wendy. I love Bluebirds and this is just a beautiful shot.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/08/2012 01:33:20 PM
Congratulations Wendy! It's an amazing photo, you can be extremely proud of it. I'm glad all your hard work pays off :-)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/08/2012 11:34:33 AM
Such a lovely shot. Luminescent against the dark background. You are the master.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/08/2012 11:33:06 AM
Oh, my, the light, the light. And the detail. And the moment captured. One of my 10's and a well deserved blue, Wendy.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/08/2012 11:13:54 AM
Congratulations, such grace in flight!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/08/2012 11:01:20 AM
Congrats , it sure is a good un.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/08/2012 10:45:36 AM
You are amazing with your birds. I'm not even a bird person, but am completely captivated by this.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/08/2012 10:22:37 AM
One of the finest images I've seen.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/08/2012 09:20:32 AM
A Blue for the Bluebird! Beautiful shot - Congratulations!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/08/2012 09:12:24 AM
Stunning. Absolutely Stunning!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/08/2012 05:35:17 AM
Well Deserved lighting brilliant
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/08/2012 03:09:56 AM
congrats Wendy, stellar light!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/08/2012 02:57:24 AM
This is awesome. So deserving of the high score and the blue.
Congrats!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/08/2012 02:24:52 AM
Congrats on the blue! (how appropriate!) It is just a charming, delightful image.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/08/2012 02:09:57 AM
sweet morning light.. congrats..!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/08/2012 01:44:46 AM
Well done Wendy.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/08/2012 01:35:54 AM
Great light. Given your trouble with light in your yard have you tried doing a strobe setup to make things a little easier?
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/08/2012 01:35:18 AM
STUNNING MY DEAR LOVE IT ANOTHER FAVORITE AND LOVE YOUR INFO MAKES IT EVEN MORE SPECIAL XOX.FROM SHEZ
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/08/2012 01:27:33 AM
I love the feetsies!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/08/2012 12:41:53 AM
Congratulations Wendy. Wonderful light and great details.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/08/2012 12:39:10 AM
Go, Wendy!! This is wonderfully... blue!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/08/2012 12:36:40 AM
Grats on the FS blue!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/08/2012 12:33:02 AM
Congratulations Wendy, this is really outstanding!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/08/2012 12:31:46 AM
Such an endearing little bird. The gleam of the eye is priceless! Congrats on FS blue!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/08/2012 12:30:00 AM
This is an outstanding image Wendy. Congrats on the FS blue!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/08/2012 12:18:20 AM
Really spectacular image. Way to go!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/08/2012 12:16:45 AM
There ya go girlfriend!! You Officaly became TOP GUN !!! CONGRATS it is stunning!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/08/2012 12:11:32 AM
You did it, Wendy. A ribbon in a FS. And not just any ribbon either. Congrats, what a magnificent image.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/08/2012 12:10:33 AM
Congratulations, it's a beauty Wendy!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/08/2012 12:07:31 AM
Congratulations Wendy! Magnificent!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/08/2012 12:03:50 AM
Yep, I knew it. Congratulations on a fabulous shot.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/08/2012 12:03:20 AM
Yeah you did it, woot woot.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
06/07/2012 11:02:11 PM
Wow - spectacular light and capture!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/07/2012 10:00:15 PM
Best looking bird in town, this is a winner, the light, WOW, amazing!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/07/2012 09:11:35 PM
Gorgeous; looks like a Wendy shot; if not, that is a compliment. (voted earlier)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/07/2012 09:04:00 PM
Beautiful catch!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/07/2012 08:17:49 PM
Looks like a Wendy shot, but I don't recall seeing this, so I can vote on it. I guess the squirrels didn't drive the bluebirds away permanently.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/07/2012 07:35:06 PM
Beautiful capture!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/07/2012 05:09:19 PM
Fabulous! I'm sure this is doing well for you. It should.

I love the colors and the motion.

Well done.

(commenting only)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/07/2012 12:32:59 PM
Pings right out at me.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/07/2012 07:30:24 AM
Stunning light and color. Absolutely lovely capture.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/07/2012 04:39:09 AM
Top ten is my prediction.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/07/2012 02:24:38 AM
Perfect clarity where needed, perfect action in the wings.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/06/2012 08:12:16 PM
Gosh that's good.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/04/2012 02:43:04 PM
Delightful. Great catch. I like the light and dof, the type framing used seems perfect to me for this image.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/04/2012 12:59:55 PM
Perfect catch. I like the wide perspective.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/04/2012 11:45:11 AM
Looks almost symmetrical in nature.. :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/03/2012 08:36:35 PM
Wow. Love the detail and color.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/03/2012 10:31:20 AM
Superb lighting in this one. The blurr of the wing on the left adds to this picture. Lovely
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/02/2012 09:16:51 PM
This is a fantastic image! Wonderful lighting and focus. Good luck! Hope to see this with a ribbon!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/02/2012 04:26:45 PM
Magnificent! What more needs to be said? :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/02/2012 05:28:45 AM
Wow! Outstanding. Must be on the front page. 10
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/01/2012 09:33:59 AM
Oh wow!! How perfect. 10 from me. :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/01/2012 12:36:02 AM
beautiful color and capture.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/01/2012 12:34:21 AM
Gorgeous study, well done
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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