Ruff (a lifer for me)

[Evan Cain]

I was very, very happy when I found out that a juvenile Ruff decided to stop off near my house. It took me two days to finally see it, and I did not expect it to walk within my minimum focusing distance without me even having to stalk it!

This shot was photographed with a Xti and 400mm 5.6L, ISO 400 f5.6 1/1250.

Please let me know if it looks tinted or the exposure is off to you, calibrator isn't here yet. Healing brush was done on stray pickle weed pointing at the birds head, and removal of two extremely OOF Lesser Yellowlegs in the BG. Large yellow flower was cloned out of center bottom edge.

Thanks for looking! Its my best bird species of the year!

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[arash_hazeghi]

I like the alert pose, low angle and good details. colors look good to me, it is just a tad bright but not bad overall.

good work

[gail bisson]

Congrats on your lifer Evan!
I really like this . Nice low POV and really like the foot up and visible.
The flowers really add a nice bit of color to the image.
Nice and sharp as well.
I would decrease the brightness and add a couple of points of black to the neutrals ( if you have photoshop it is under selective coloring) to make the image pop a bit more.
Well done,
Gail

[Grace Scalzo]

Excellent work on processing...I see no evidence. Agree with Arash and Gail's suggestions, I'd try them and then give another look to it and see if it might need a bit more sharpening. Congrats on adding this bird to your files and for your tenacity on getting the image.

[Bill Dix]

Congrats on getting this guy -- a rarity where I live. Nice pose and I like the vegetation. Good PP work too. Yes to Gail's suggestions.

[Richard Stern]

Hi,

Congrats on a great bird. Now you'll have to go to Europe and get one in breeding plumage! I agree with the comments about reducing the brightness a little, and that the post-processing has been well executed.

Richard

[Karl Egressy]

Beautiful species in any plumage and an excellent image. Congratulations on your lifer. The picture is truly beautiful!!!

[Cheryl Arena Molennor]

Great low angle and hunting pose. I like the colored grasses too

[Daniel Cadieux]

First of all, huge kudos on recognizing it as a Ruff...I think many people would have jotted it down to a Buff-breasted Sandpiper but you were able to tell the difference. I agree the image is a tad bright, but the setting, colours, comp all look great.