Great Bittern

[Lesley van Loo]

http://i638.photobucket.com/albums/uu104/ltdphoto/roerdomp007.jpg?t=1235561858

exif: ISO 640, 1/200, F7.1 on 700mm.
made this shot from a hide, to see the making of this shot check out my website and click in the left menu on the making of.. button.

[Daniel Cadieux]

I like this one alot. I even like the "busy" BG...typical for these types of species. I would probably prefer a bit more room above, and warming up the colour temp (or adding a couple of points of saturation) would be good also. I like the walking pose...check out the huge foot!!

[Juan Aragonés]

Lesley, great idea to show the making-of in your website. I love the low angle in thsi fantastic bittern iimage and the great eye contact. The raised leg is a big bonus and I like the BG because adds information about the habitat of this species. Composition works for me. BTW, I have been watching a lot of bittern images from your country and I am envious because bitterns are really shy, secretive and uncommon in the south of Spain, where I live.

[Terry Sohl]

This is gorgeous...no nits from me.

[Lesley van Loo]

thanks all for the comments.

@ Juan: here they are also very shy, but when the water is frozen they have to come out of the reed, therefore most shots from holland of this species are made in wintertime.

kind regards
Lesley

[Michel Pilon]

Hello Lesley,

Very nice picture of this Great Bittern! Details on the feathers are fantastic and the overall colors looks so natural. The walking pose is amazing and we don't see picture of Bitterns at his lower level completly exposed like here! Don't they migrate when the water freeze like that?

Excellent picture and thanks for sharing!

Michel Pilon
Quebec, Canada