Portrait of a Great Blue Heron

[Norm Dulak]

D7000 w/Tamron 150-600mm @ 600mm; hand held
ISO 1250; f/6.3, 1/5000; MM -0.33
Std CS6 adjustments

This image was captured during a trip by me and Linda to the Prime Hook NWR in Delaware. This heron was not actually at the refuge, but beside a nearby road leading to the Delaware Shore. En route to the shore, we observed the effects of hurricane Sandy. While the approach to the shore was unremarkable, due to marked changes in the terrain, our later return to the interior of Delaware was not so easy. A depression in the road was rapidly filling with water as we departed, and it was just slightly beyond this point that we saw this heron.

This image is uncropped, but distracting background vegetation around the bird's head has been removed by cloning.

All C&C are welcome.

Norm

[Stu Bowie]

Hi Norm, great concentrated stare, looking at his next meal. Im fine with the foliage on the left, but comp wise, I feel you could takee off the top, and add below, or just take off the top to create a pano.

Removed your double theme. :w3

[John Rowell]

Normally, I said to get rid of the foliage, but in this case I think it works to balance the overall image and the angle line up well with the heron's bill. It seems a bit oversaturated, but that could be just the blue background and I do really like how it brings out the coloration in the neck feathers.

[Norm Dulak]

Thanks Stuart and John for your comments!