It's all mine!

[Dan Busby]

All the pride and glory shown by strutting Great-tailed Grackle with catch. Florida.

Canon 7D, 500mm f/4L, ISO:800, f/5.6@1/1250, Manual, AI Servo AF, evaluative metering. Laying on ground using elbows as tripod. 25% crop for comp.

All C&C welcomed and appreciated.

[gail bisson]

Really nice Dan! I like the raised foot and the mussel in the mouth.Perfect head turn.
Iridescent colors well shown as well.
I would take a bit off the top if mine to get rid of the green and have more of a pano crop but that is a personal taste issue more than a critique,
Gail
Are you in Florida now?

[Dan Busby]

Really nice Dan! I like the raised foot and the mussel in the mouth.Perfect head turn.
Iridescent colors well shown as well.
I would take a bit off the top if mine to get rid of the green and have more of a pano crop but that is a personal taste issue more than a critique,
Gail
Are you in Florida now?
I was thinking about the crop you suggest Gail. Thanks, I think I will give it a try. I was thinking that the OP crop sort of balanced out with the green in the top left and bottom right. But your idea is a good one! Not in Florida right now but will be in about 9 days for a month! This shot was from last year in March.

[Mike Veltri]

The food item makes for a great image, but I would also crop off the top getting rid of the green area.

[Richard Stern]

Hi,

A lovely pose, good head angle and eye contact, and the food item is a nice touch. I find the bird a bit pale and bluish for a Grackle, although the iridescence shows nicely. Here's an alternative version, including the crop that others have suggested - what do you think?

Richard

[Randy Stout]

Dan:

Cute pose with food item, food up!

I appreciate your thoughts on the crop, trying to balance things, but the green on the LRC is modest enough, that I don't think it needs much balance from above, and the image is already dominated by the bird. There is on right answer, but I do prefer the crop on Richard's version.

Have a great time in Florida.

Cheers

Randy

[Dan Busby]

Hi,

A lovely pose, good head angle and eye contact, and the food item is a nice touch. I find the bird a bit pale and bluish for a Grackle, although the iridescence shows nicely. Here's an alternative version, including the crop that others have suggested - what do you think?

Richard
Hey, thanks for doing the crop job for me Richard! Yes, I agree this works better. I checked back on the RAW image for colour and it certainly appears that mine is fairly accurate, although I had to bring up a bit of exposure (the shot was underexposed by about 1/3 stop) and that may have washed out a bit of "richness" of the plumage. I'll play with it a bit more. Thanks for taking the time.