Lesser Yellowleg

[Nagesh Mula]

I took this picture in our local park. I liked this picture because the direction of light is vertical to the birds plane. I am not sure whether the BKGR is too much cluttered and the OOF foreground.
would like your opinion on this picture.

Specs- EOS 30D
100-400 mm @ 400mm
f/6.3 with 1/400
ISO - 250
EXP - -1/3

[Doug Brown]

Great light and nice diagonal composition. I'm not particularly bothered by the OOF BG, but the OOF FG is distracting. I would crop from the left; this would get the bird out of the center of the frame and eliminate some of the OOF FG. I might also remove the specular highlights on the bill.

[Steve Maxson]

Beautiful light and a very nice pose, Nagesh. I would wish that the feet were more visible. I agree about cropping from the left and you might also tone down the lighter OOF elements in the background as they tend to draw my eye away from the bird.

[Dan Brown]

I agree with the above comments. Great light! But I think that your ID may be wrong. Given the length of the bill in relation to the head depth from the back to the base of the bill (this is a long bill!) I think that this bird is a Greater Yellowlegs and not a lesser!:)

[Stu Bowie]

I like images showing DOF, so the OOF FG doesnt bother me. The diagonal comp works well, and agree to crop some from the LHS. Still well captured Nagesh.

[Joe Senzatimore]

I think Dougs comments are right on point. Sweet light. Bird seems a bit soft. I think a faster SS is in order.

[Ramon M. Casares]

I don't mind the OOF BG and FG, I actually like it, the pose is great, the light is as good as it can be, and colours are wonderfull, the bird seems to have been moving as IMO there's some motion blur in the legs. I would've left some more room to the right too. Congratualitons! Great shot.