My first try at shooting birds...

I wanted to get some C&C, as I have absolutely no knowledge regarding birds. I did find out my 5D2 with 200mm combo is very short in FL. These shots are practically 100% crops.

Nice Shots! I am also new to photography and I am sure other members on this forum can help you out more than I can with CC but I like #3 the best. 1 & 2 seem a little busy to me tho. Good job on not centering the bird in #3, looks great!

Edit: Sorry thought you were new to photography but realized you were just new to bird photography. But anyways they are still nice!

Hi, hang in there - it's a fun area!

Trying to shoot these guys through the twigs and leaves is very hard, especially at very low angles. Longer lens reach will start to give you an advantage - maybe a 2X converter on your 200 to get started?

The 3rd shot is nice, maybe try and expose further to the right, should give you the ability to pull more detail out of the blacks.

Mark

I too really like the third image, not much wrong with the first two ether, considering the crop factor. Careful, Birds have a way of making us spend money on longer glass. or at least drooling over it.

-Z

There are two rules in bird photography... 1. You can't get too close and... 2. You never have a long enough lens.

Having said that, you can often work around things. I think you did just that with a great composition in the last image. Your exposure there is fine as it is as the detail is all there.

All you can do with shots like the first two is try and avoid them. Too cluttered and too steep an angle. Just be more selective and settle for fewer, but better, images.

All in all, a good start.

I love the 3rd image...very nice. I like the contast between the white wall and the green foliage.

#3 for me too, nice composition.

Thank you all for your comments and kind remarks and advice. I really appreciate it!!!

#3 for me also

When a bird is sitting high up on a tree, getting closer to it means making the angle closer to 90 degrees - that is, making it more vertical, which doesn't look nice. Also aim for eye contact (all three of your pics have that) and try to get the catchlight on the eye. The last really enlivens any bird photograph. As you go forward in this hobby you automatically learn better techniques to approach the birds.
Most important - to get good photographs of birds, try to learn about the birds first - preferably from field experience.

Thank you for your kind advice. I really appreciate it!

Nice shots for a start. I agree with Harvey's two rules for bird photography. I also find that 100% (or close to it) cropping is pretty much standard practice for me even with a 400mm lens.

Add me to the list for number 3 and welcome to the bird forum where its never long enough!

Thank you Don and Holger.

I would echo the suggestions above, but you have to start somewhere and #3 (a Black Phoebe, I believe) is a very good start. The position of the head is appealing and you got a nice catchlight in the eye. DOF is right-on.