Alert male Yellow-headed Blackbird portrait – Nikon D500, f11, 1/800, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
When I was up in northern Utah two days ago there was a male Yellow-headed Blackbird that was so close that all I could do was take portraits of him. I had too much glass attached to my camera to get full body images. I am not complaining.
Yellow-headed Blackbird adult male up close – Nikon D500, f11, 1/800, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
When it is possible to take portraits of my subjects without causing them discomfort I do not and will not pass up the opportunity. This male Yellow-headed Blackbird was on a fence next to a ranch pond and he didn’t move when the vehicle stopped. He didn’t even flinch.
Male Yellow-headed Blackbird fluffed up and singing – Nikon D500, f11, 1/800, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
He was singing and displaying and seemed to have spring on his mind. It felt like spring to me too. His songs and calls made it feel even more spring-like to me.
Singing Male Yellow-headed Blackbird portrait – Nikon D500, f11, 1/800, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
I took many photos of this male Yellow-headed Blackbird. So many that I had trouble deciding which of the portraits to share. So I grabbed six and edited them.
Up close to a singing male Yellow-headed Blackbird – Nikon D500, f11, 1/640, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
The yellow in this blackbirds plumage was so bright that it was out of gamut. I decreased the luminance slightly in ACR (Adobe Camera Raw) so the yellow of his feathers wasn’t quite so bright.
The phrase “out of gamut” refers to a range of colors that cannot be reproduced within the CMYK color space used for printing. A gamut is the range of colors that a color device can display or print.
Male Yellow-headed Blackbird close to a road – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/2000, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
I had fun taking these portraits of this male Yellow-headed Blackbird and I am very glad that he stuck around so that I could.
Life is good.
Mia
Click here to see more of my Yellow-headed Blackbird photos plus facts and information about this species.
What an extraordinary series of portraits! I can’t get over how vibrant the Blackbirds colors are. Thanks Mia.
Beautiful photos.
What an incredible sight – and as others have said, what amazing colours. Not at all surprised that it is too much for our technology.
A stunner! I especially like the last shot — he looks most regally intelligent. Definitely not surprised that human tech can’t keep up with nature’s “tech.”
Hi Mia,
Great pictures of the Yellow-headed Blackbird! and thanks for explaining the “out of gamut” phrase…I was just about to look it up. Of course I’d heard it before but really only had the vaguest idea of just what it meant.
Rob
Wow! If he kept on singing you weren’t bothering him. How lucky! Fabulous colour even as rendered by our inadequate human tech.
WOW! is anyone surprised this bird’s spring colors are out of gamut?