Back to Birds

I haven't done a personal bog post in awhile now. I guess I have to feel I've got something new or exciting to share before I make the effort of putting a new post up. Well today isn't much different than my usual photos of nature. What make this one different is that I REALLY like this portrait of a femail cardinal. It is one of many I took on the RBG's Grindstone Marsh Trail.

What makes this portrait work? To my eye it's the unity of colour and tone with just the highlights of red and black making the cardinal stand out from the background. I also like the way the twigs frame her as she perches patiently. I also noticed that the exposure was set to +1 EV, making it twice as bright as a normal setting. This was an accident due to shooting birds against a bright sky earlier. In subsequent shots I dialed back to 0 EV but in later comparison, I didn't like them as much. This exposure has a lighter, airier feel with no dark tones other than on her face. I shot a few video clips of the birds on Grindstone Marsh Trail as well.