Preening

[Loi Nguyen]

This is a close up frame of a juvenile Tiger Heron in Pantanal, Brazil. I had posted a looser frame with the whole bird.

Canon 5D3
500f4 II + 1.4X III
1/6400
f5.6
ISO-1250
HH from boat
Aperture priority

When on a small boat going thru the narrow and curvy waterway, it is tough to shoot in Manual since you don't know where a bird will pop out, so I set on Aperture priority. Wish I had remembered to change aperture to F8 to get more DOF.

Thank you for commenting on my previous image.

Loi

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Loi, I really like this, congrats on pushing the 1DX, isn't it a joy in conditions like this?

Personally I don't have a problem with the DoF, I also like the richness, but for me, it's the eye that makes it. I might think about a Luminosity Curves for the brighter whites, just tames them a little and adds a bit more detail there.

VWD. :cheers:

TFS
Steve

PS Just watching a new Nat Geo by the Jouberts in Selinda :S3:

[John Rowell]

Steve said it, the eye makes it. Very rich colors and an elegant pose. The gracefully curved lines of the feather are wonderful.

[Lorant Voros]

This one let you close for sure. I don't think you have pushed the 5DMKIII at all with this ISO setting. It is more than capable for sure. Colors are gorgeous and details are nice and no noise in this size. I love this bird and I find this pose interesting, though I thought it was a bit tight in the frame first I opened it. Well done, Loi.

[Loi Nguyen]

Hi Steve, good suggestion on Luminosity mask. I tried a little bit of Nik on the neck and I think it looks better too.


Hi Lorant, I could have cropped a little looser, but that would include a small green distracting branch at the lower right corner. For this portrait, I'd prefer completely clean with no distracting element, so I rather stick with this crop.

Thank you for your comments and suggestions

Loi

[annmpacheco]

Hi Loi, good suggestions above, especially taming the whites. I like this richly colored image and the composition. Tiger herons are wonderful, eh!

[Satish Ranadive]

Fantastic portrait. Superb preening pose. wonderful colours, great details and nice composition.

Regards,
Satish.

[dankearl]

The Comp is nice for this beauty.
A bit more DOF would have been nice, but for these portraits, not really a big deal.

[Loi Nguyen]

Thank you everyone for your helpful comments. I decided to crop just a wee bit less on the left and applied a little Nik to bring out details on the white feathers. Loi

[Diane Miller]

Gorgeous sharpness and detail!