GBH with better light

[Diane Miller]

I also got closer to one this day, but no fish. Guess I have to work harder if I want everything.

Canon 5D Mk III, 600mm II + 1.4X III. Big Gitzo with Wimberley II. ISO 400, f/5.6, 1/2000 sec. Crop is 63% of full frame. Basic LR adjustments then to PS CS6 for removing a few more OOF spots in the water that looked like sensor spots. Don't know where all the feathers in the water came from. I must have missed something good.

C&C always appreciated.

[gail bisson]

Hi Diane,
A nice image.
I like your techs, low POV and the light. The "salad" adds nice color and adds visual interest.
I also like the wake created by the seaweed. I think I would like to see all of the wake if you have it.
I don't know how you feel about cloning but I would clean up the water spots in a heartbeat!
I like the feathers and I don't like the feathers. If you hadn't said they were feathers I would not have been sure what they were.
Knowing they are feathers I like them- I would eliminate the one feather touching the bird.
Well done,
Gail

[Iain Barker]

Hi Diane

The light is nicer in this than your post yesterday which was good for different reasons, and the reflection is nice on this. I don't mind the feathers but would consider cloning them as they draw attention away from the Heron.
Do you have more space on the left? I think I would have included the full circle of the ripple and cropped in slightly more on the right if you have it. What do you think?

Iain

[Diane Miller]

Thanks for the comments! I don't have a problem with cloning distracting junk. I missed one OOF spot in the BG water, just right of top center. Looks like a sensor spot -- ugh! I could easily go after the ones in the FG -- was undecided if they gave a little reality to the water surface. I did remove a couple of lone feathers that were touching the bird -- couldn't tell what they were, even with the others to suggest it. Would be easy to clean up the whole mess.

I do have all the ripple from the stab at the seaweed. Decided to cut into it as it's fairly large and seemed to distract form the heron, but it's certainly an option to include it.

If I have a minute later I'll post a cleanup (more fun than cleaning house!)

[David Salem]

It's all about the light Diane and you can see the difference it makes compared to your last post. Great looking detail and I like the pose. I would clean up everything in the water if it were mine. Nice work.

[Diane Miller]

Here's the suggested cleanup with more of the wake included. Crop is now from the bottom and right, with a slight loss top and left from rotation. Looks like "Florida water" now!

[Grace Scalzo]

I personally don't love doing that much clean up on my images, but it sure worked wonders here. Nicely done, sharp and bright with a good subject and his salad.

[Iain Barker]

I think you have done a fantastic job on the clean up Diane and made a great image even better.