Sparrows of the West #5a - White-crowned Sparrow on Mt. Rainier 6682

For some reason or other, this image that I posted today as an insert could not be accessed by most of those who tried. Obviously, I got the allotment of accesses because even as of five minutes or go, it worked. It is one of my favorite images of an adult White-crowned sparrow in breeding plumage. I found him at the end of a fir tree bough, and he was so striking that I couldn't miss him. He was also uncharacteristically cooperative, staying on his perch for at least five minutes. In human terms, five minutes in one spot is equivalent to 12 hours! (Five minutes for a chickadee is an entire day in human terms or vice-versa. It's late, and I'm a little tahrd.

This is a relatively important bird photographically. Well, for me in particular. For quite a number of years, I had fallen into the bad habit of (1) centering my subject, (2) getting closeups whenever possible, and (3) believing that I could compose better by getting any shot possible, and cropping it later. This shot changed most of my bird images afterward.

I did start taking as many shots as possible just to be sure I got him. When it seemed, he was going to give me whatever time I needed, I started composition in the viewfinder. That's what I do to this very day. I don't always succeed, but when I do, if no one else, I'm usually pleased with the outcome.

In composing in that way, I also had a more "distant" view of the bird. With this sparrow, instead of being five or ten feet from him, the tree branch and background became key to the outcome. As I mentioned to Tom this morning regarding his image of a Long-billed Curlew (flic.kr/p/2kBgx17), I found his composition much more pleasing than at least two-thirds of my images of the same bird. Plus the bird was sharper and the feathers beautiful even before viewing large. So, I think focus improves with distance: less noise, sharper, and the background again more important.

I've given more information about sparrows than I think you want, so if you want to know more about the White-crowned Sparrow, please see yesterday's and this morning's images. Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow, Song Sparrows!

Taken in: United States / Washington / Sunrise (show map)

Taken on: September 20, 2012

Tags:

White-crowned Sparrow

Male

Mt. Rainier National Park

Washington

state

Evergreen

nesting

Photographed

late

summer

Sparrow Species Series #5a « less

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Camera: Canon PowerShot SX40 HS, f/5.8, 1/640 sec, 150.5mm, ISO 200 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Canon PowerShot SX40 HS
Aperture:	f/5.8
Exposure Time:	0.002 sec (1/640)
Focal Length:	150.5mm
ISO:	200
Exposure Bias:	0 EV
Flash:	Off, Did not fire
Exposure Mode:	Auto
Metering Mode:	Multi-segment
White Balance:	Auto
Color Space:	sRGB
Software:	ACDSee Pro 6
Show full info

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