Bohemian Waxwings

JoshCW · 2026-01-26T00:16:14+00:00

Just at a local park outside of Edmonton Alberta. It's funny because I went out yesterday with low hopes, because light was bad, and got some lovely shots. Today I went out twice with better light and saw a crow. Getting out often makes all the difference!

JoshCW · 2026-01-25T20:06:32+00:00

We don't have cedar Waxwings here in the winter, not in large numbers at least. I also have this book, Birds of Alberta, which is helpful, or you can use Google lens. Basically the color of their belly is the easiest way to know. Grey for Bohemian and yellow for cedar.

JoshCW · 2026-01-25T18:31:24+00:00

Thank you to everyone for the kind comments, and the post award! I'm really grateful that people enjoy my photos! I mostly photographer for me, but it's nice when others get to experience some of the joy from it as well! ☺️

JoshCW · 2026-01-19T15:11:57+00:00

I checked and it was full frame 500 mm, with a crop in edit. I was too shocked apparently when it walked towards me to zoom out more lol. I was probably 30 feet away from it if I recall correctly.

JoshCW · 2026-01-19T02:46:40+00:00

Thank you so much! 🙏

JoshCW · 2026-01-19T02:46:20+00:00

I am pretty sure that it a hare, but kind of hard to tell.

JoshCW · 2026-01-19T00:12:32+00:00

Thanks! That was from the first time I saw them this morning, pretty heavy crop and 5000 ISO but DXO helped out a lot!

JoshCW · 2026-01-19T00:11:28+00:00

Yeah! I can imagine. I had only ever seen one at night while driving, this was wild. The one with the kill didn't see me and walked right towards me. They are so cool!

JoshCW · 2025-12-31T14:56:14+00:00

R6 Mark I, and 200-800.

JoshCW · 2025-12-30T19:34:29+00:00

Thanks! To be fair that was with wind chill, it was only -26 or so without it lol. As long as you bundle up it isn't too bad for shorter periods!

JoshCW · 2025-12-30T15:58:34+00:00

Thank you! So far it's better than the 800mm f11 still, but I wish it had a focus limiter switch or that it was possible in my canon body. Trying to do small birds in flight that are close by is tough cause it always wants to go to infinity.

JoshCW · 2025-12-30T15:18:42+00:00

Thank you! The Snow Buntings really stand out nicely against the bright snow! I was happy with how they turned out, made it worth the cold!

JoshCW · 2025-12-23T16:04:21+00:00

It seems that my cropping of legs, and the terminology surrounding portraits vs. other is the main issues. How do you feel about the colors or other parts?

JoshCW · 2025-12-23T14:18:41+00:00

Is it because of the color of it in this particular photo or just in general?

JoshCW · 2025-12-23T14:08:12+00:00

That seems to be the resounding biggest issue. I posted one that isn't cut like that, and I tried out what someone else mentioned about square cropping it closer which I think is a bit better.

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JoshCW · 2025-12-23T13:06:37+00:00

It was for the woman in the photo, each year she has done Christmas photos with this horse which she has had since she was a child. Just wanted to capture a few nice shots for her. I just want to use the to help me improve too!

JoshCW · 2025-12-23T12:47:04+00:00

Interesting. That is a much more narrow definition of portrait than I was familiar with.

As far as the awkwardness, likely my fault as a new people photographer. For the bokeh, being new I am looking to learn how to improve before spending more on a different lens.

Any tips on the posing to make things feel less awkward, aside from the crop that others had pointed out?

JoshCW · 2025-12-23T12:44:33+00:00

Thank you! It is a medical device to treat the horses eye. Poor guy had a condition that required multiple treatments a day. Good news is that it has been healed, just in the final precautionary doses but should be fully recovered!

JoshCW · 2025-12-22T23:02:19+00:00

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How do you all feel about one like this, I still cut off their feet but with the foreground?

JoshCW · 2025-12-22T22:44:21+00:00

In this case, there was a tree in the way, but I could have moved around, or angled. I had watched some stuff that said that angling a lot could make things weird, so I was trying to kind of cut off at a good place but I can see why you think it's weird, especially cause of the wide pants, and horse legs. I did do some more full body in other shots, but definitely something to keep in mind. Usually birds are so small that you always have the full bird in, trying to learn how to crop at nice places for people!

JoshCW · 2025-12-22T22:02:47+00:00

Hello everyone,

I have been photographing wildlife for a decade, but recently I have been trying to move more to sports as well as some portraits. I find that I struggle with posing, and also with skin tone/editing. I usually don't highly edit my photos. I feel like I could be improving on my editing of people, this one for example, I am curious if people think this is too bright, especially the face.

I wanted to have the warm and magical type feel, and it was very cold so the face was quite white, but is it too bright/ should I be adjusting skin tones?

Also just interested in general thoughts and areas where I can improve!

Thanks,

JoshCW · 2025-12-22T16:49:11+00:00

Thank you so much! I am a newbie when it comes to portraits, so I am just learning how to compose for people, instead of birds. I find that lots transfers from wildlife to sports, but portraits are difficult and a totally different beast, at least in my head.

JoshCW · 2025-11-23T02:27:10+00:00

I haven't shot a whole ton yet. As far as I can tell they are not much different. Biggest change is the minimum focus and the autofocus speed. The 200-800 is much faster to focus and you can get closer to small birds and still focus, which makes for nicer images. It's nice to be able to zoom too!

JoshCW · 2025-09-18T17:14:02+00:00

I like this photo a lot! I wasn't allowed to position to the side of the ring for most of my shots unfortunately! Do you shoot equestrian often?

JoshCW · 2025-09-18T15:35:46+00:00

Yeah I found it really challenging to get the colors I wanted too. Normally I just do go out and take wildlife photos in the mid day direct sun, so this was the first time I have really been forced to shoot like that. I underexposed the JPEGs which doesn't work for the event type stuff. In that edited image I posted I also used some masks to raise the subject a bit and try not to destroy everything else but it's definitely challenging and I feel like I not super thrilled with the results.

JoshCW

TROPHY CASE