Reddish Egret

[Cheryl Flory]

Canon 40D
Sigma 50 - 500
500mm

1/1600"
F7.1
ISO 500
Exposure +0.33

I do have another image of this bird where the dark bg does not go through its head, but the eye contact is not as good. I would appreciate any comments.

[Gus Cobos]

Hi Cheryl,
I like your composition, you have good details and nice colors on the bird. I would prefer to not see the dark green band running across the bird's head, the head angle could use just a tad of CW rotation. I modified your image to show you the the difference in background...I made the background a solid blue, this puts the attention on the bird, opened up the shadows sprinkled selective sharpening and increased saturation and contrast just a wee bit, also lightened the background...see if this presents better for you...:cool:

[Phil Ertel]

I like it! Pleasing composition and a nice looking bird. I agree with Gus's comments as he covered my observation and more. Although I do not mind the head angle as presented. I do think his repost made a good image better.

Thanks for sharing.

Phil

[Jackie Schuknecht]

Hi Cheryl,
I like the all blue BG too. Gus looks like he has lightened the chest area a bit. I think it makes an improvement. I like the reflection in the water too.

[denise ippolito]

Hi Cheryl, I agree w/ Gus on the BG- You have an excellent shot here!!

[Lance Peters]

Ditto what gus said,removing the drak green line was my very first thought.
I have no problems with the HA - might think about a different crop, tighter vertical maybe ( bit off bottom and rhs)

:)

[Cheryl Flory]

Thank you, everyone.

[Nicki Gwynn Jones]

Hi Cheryl,
Agree with the above comments - your image is lovely and Gus's repost puts it over the top.
Regards,
Nicki

[Gail Spitler]

Backgrounds, backgrounds, backgrounds ..... what a pain they are. There should be a bg alert in the lcd rather than a highlight alert. Like the composition, the colors work very well together, overall feeling of the image is subtle, quiet, ha seems okay for me. I agree that the black line through the head is a distraction that kind of overpowers the other very fine qualities of the image.
The other thing I noticed is the head might be a bit soft. There is quite a length to keep in focus from the tip of the head down to the water surface. Maybe check the focus points.
It is a beautiful bird
Gail

[Alfred Forns]

HI Cheryl Besides the bg light was from the hard right and the front is in shadows Try setting on your sun angle before making the exposure !!! Do like the pose !!!

[Nonda Surratt]

Cheryl,

Love the 'singleness' of the bird and the pose, pretty dramatic. Agree with prior comments