Are these worth a D****?

I am having trouble getting feedback on other sites. Like I usually get here.... *crickets*. I guess I just have to be blunt and ask for the beating. Even in my own photography club, it's sad really.

I thought I was lucky to get this guy where I got him. Shot with a 30D & 100-400. I tried to get a little closer but either I spooked him or he was done with the branch. The sun was stage right.

What could I have done better?

Thanks in advance.
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Nice shots! Hummers are a bit "flighty" to say the least. Have you looked at any of them cropped just a bit?

Are you telling me to crop them tighter if the image quality will hold up? Thank you for the feedback. Can you tell I'm a little frustrated?

Not many into bird photography. Some are but they just shoot ducks with their 800mm. I think I saw an old man today with a Sigma 800. Not sure if he was shooting a Canon or Nikon. Kind of a grumpy person. I asked
"any luck?" "Yeah, as always." I just can't see him chasing song birds with his 800mm.

Anyway, the composition is good but the subject is still small. Try to crop some more. You do have a very nice background blur though.

Sp00ks wrote in post #5645546
I am having trouble getting feedback on other sites. Like I usually get here.... *crickets*. I guess I just have to be blunt and ask for the beating. Even in my own photography club, it's sad really.

I thought I was lucky to get this guy where I got him. Shot with a 30D & 100-400. I tried to get a little closer but either I spooked him or he was done with the branch. The sun was stage right.

What could I have done better?

Thanks in advance.
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Lovely shots well doneChrissy

Is this better? Basically just a tighter crop of the original. Next to no PP. The background looks grainy to me. I can't say that I care for it much. I am trying to break that barrier to the next level in my photography and having a hell of a time of it. It may just be my post processing or lack there of. I am quite picky with my own work and don't believe in a lot of heavy processing. Maybe that is my problem.....

Thank you Chrissy.

The problem with the forum here is that it gets alot of posting everyday and its easy to have "your" post get put behind rather quickly. I say your as in anyones, as it has happened to me. I personally think the shots are good. They are not stellar to me, but here is what I think. I would have played with the crop abit, yes a tighter crop would help here is all of these. I may have tried a horizontal crop and placed the hummingbird on the far left end, for shots one and three, and the opposite for the second. A vertical crop would work too. I think they are as sharp as you are going to get them with the detail you have.

Sp00ks wrote in post #5645659
Is this better? Basically just a tighter crop of the original. Next to no PP. The background looks grainy to me. I can't say that I care for it much. I am trying to break that barrier to the next level in my photography and having a hell of a time of it. It may just be my post processing or lack there of. I am quite picky with my own work and don't believe in a lot of heavy processing. Maybe that is my problem.....

YES thats good!!!!!!

Thank you Brenton.

I tend to agree that cropping to make the bird more the focus than you have with wider shots is preferable. The beauty of using digital is that you can try as many different crops as you like until you find the one that you prefer. My preference is not always what you might like, and vice versa. Go with what you like.

Definitely like the tighter crop on this and on most birds. If you can get closer or get longer lenses to fill the frame always better.

KAC

You caught a very fast and uncooperative bird doing its natural thing.and I like it! First one is the framer for me, with the last crop.

Spooks a nice pic! My preference is for a tighter crop and here is your shot but with Neat Image applied to reduce the noise! An awesome filter or stand alone software!

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^ Excellent...I need a good program, mine would have made it look like a watercolor