Thick Knee

[Chris Kotze]

Canon EOS 40D Lens 100-400 L
SS 1/2000
ISO 400
f8.0
-0.7 step

[Elmar Venter]

Chris, I really like this image - pin sharp, so much detail, rich colours. Well done.

[Ben Egbert]

very nice, sharp, great exposure and eye contact. I would like more room on the right, and prefer that dark background band above the head was not so close. But this is really minor and I wish this were mine,

[Manos Papadomanolakis]

beautiful head angle,pose,details!

[denise ippolito]

Chris, I like the sharp details and the pose. The HA is very nice also. I think the head is very close to the band on top but is not intersecting so it really doesn't bother me.

[Nicki Gwynn Jones]

Hi Chris,
I echo the above comments - might try smoothing out the pale band above the head with the patch tool.
Very nice!
Best,
Nicki

[Axel Hildebrandt]

I like the look-back pose, light and setting. I would sharpen the head and grass around the legs a bit less.

[David Fletcher]

This is lovely Chris. Tack sharp. With Axel on the grass and head sharpening, that's why I oft use a copy layer so I can reduce opacity to get the effect I want.... :D. Super shot and wish i had it. :)

[Brian Barcelos]

The yellows on the beak, eye and legs really make this one stand out. I'd like a little more room in front of the bird and agree with Axels comments on the head and grass.

Brian

[Joe Senzatimore]

Yes just a touch more on the right would only improve an already stunning image.

[Mital Patel]

you have very beautiful thick-knee's compare to what we have in india. really nice capture. never seen here in green :)

[Gal Shon]

Agree with Axel comment about the head sharpness.
I like the light, look back and colors.
Did the upper part of the BG been blured?

[Roman Kurywczak]

Hi Chris,
Excellent points already brought up above.....another vote for a smoothing out of the darker band if you are OK with such things. Nicely done.

[Arthur Morris]

very nice, sharp, great exposure and eye contact. I would like more room on the right, and prefer that dark background band above the head was not so close. But this is really minor and I wish this were mine,

Ditto on all counts. Raising the lens as little as 4-6 inches would have given the needed separation between the head and the dark BKGR.

[Chris Kotze]

Thanks for all the views and comments, I value all the advice and will have another round of PP work.Thanks again :)

[Harshad Barve]

lovely image with great sharpness, BG , expo and details
TFS

[Morkel Erasmus]

all has been said. super sharp Chris and low angle works well...:)

[Gyorgy Szimuly]

I love it. Nice bird, nice plumage and nice lights. I don't mind the dark bg this time.

Szimi