PBG - portrait

[Enrique Patino]

Today I went back to the pond where this juvenile pied-billed grebe is hanging out. It was overcast. This time it came so close I could barely fit the bird on the frame using my 500mm and 1.4TC - I usually have to crop for comp. I created this image out of two free-handed frames for comp. This bird really stretches out. It kept flapping its wings for about 15-20 seconds as if trying to tell me something. Does it work for you?

145011

7D, ISO 800, 1/640, f.6.3, manual, hh

comments and feedback welcome

[Enrique Patino]

Sorry! I did not make much sense.

I was set up with 700mm expecting the bird to remain far. It was the opposite. I used two raw files to manually make this one. I might have overdone it a tad bit during PP.. ;)

thanks!

[Binu John]

Great job with the PP! The head is tack sharp! Love the details and BG!

[Juan Carlos Vindas]

Love the crisp eye and killer clean BG.

[Ian Wilson]

Hi Enrique, Interesting idea and it does work for me. I would prefer about 10% more on the right to pull the centre of attention back into the frame a little. Well done, Ian.

[Jim Crosswell]

I like the sharpness, eye clarity, details and complimentary BG. I like Ian's composition suggestion. Nice image Enrique.

[Stu Bowie]

Hi Enrique, stunning detail and tack sharp on the head. That eye is captivating. I really like the colour of the BG. Comp wise, Im finding the 'blurred' wings a bit distracting, and would definitely try a version with only the neck and head.

[Daniel Cadieux]

It works remarkably better than I thought it would. The head and neck are super sharp. Although I'm OK with the blurred wings I do wish you had more dof for the body, but you had tough light to contend with so you compromised well. Cropping up from below just enough to hide the gap in lower left corner seems to work well IMO (you can "browser crop" to give you an idea) - very subjective though.