Double-crested Cormorant

[Joseph Przybyla]

I captured this image in 2015 at the rookery in the alligator breeding pond at Gatorland, Orlando, Florida. I recently worked it up using new tools in Lightroom and better skills at post processing. Comments and critique welcomed and appreciated.

Nikon D7000
Nikon 80-400mm F/4.5-5.6 VRII AF-S ED shot at 300mm (450mm FFE)
1/1000 F/7.1 Matrix Metering EV 0 ISO 1800 AWB, camera supported by a monopod
Post processed in Lightroom CC and Photoshop CC 2017,cleaned up the eye, dodging and burning on the feathers of the bird
Cropped for composition and presentation

[Isaac Grant]

Man I like these close up shots you get of your pet cormorants in Florida. Jealous as ours are quite hard to approach. I love the eye and the details under the eye and the nice worn and weathered bill. I thing I will suggest is that it looks like you lifted the shadows a bit too much behind the eye on the back of the head/ I think that area could show more of that beautiful detail that is evident below the head on the neck.

[Joseph Przybyla]

Isaac, thank you for viewing and commenting. The area you mention was burned rather than dodged. Very bad lighting on this one from the side, I was trying to blend in a over exposed area. I was on the tower at Gatorland and could not move to get on the light angle, sometimes I wish I was a hummingbird. I will try darkening it a tad more. Thanks again.

[Marina Scarr]

Image well processed and full of details. Good pose. I would personally add a tad to the top and left, and take some off of right. It's a tad tight in the frame for my taste.