Cleaning up (GBH)

[wendell westfall]

D70s 70-200VR+2X@400 1/1600 f/5.6 ISO500 0EV handheld

This morning I caught this fellow doing some cleanup work on his beak by rubbing it with his toes. Considering the "compact" activity I thought it OK to center the image (?). Is the bird adequately set off visually from the background? C&C, please.

Thanks,
Wendell

[Alfred Forns]

Hi Wendell Like the behavior and timing Centering looks fine in this instance with the bird static and looking down.

Processing wise things are looking better .. just enough PS. Might increase the darker blacks a little more, blacks around the head are usually darker and the neck area looks a little flat.

One other thing you can try is going to the eye and darken the pupil, does make it look sharper !!! Excellent image !!

[Desmond Chan]

Just want to add you could also consider darkening the upper half of the background a bit. I'm thinking it could help the heron stand out from the background more.

Good job!

[Christopher Miller]

Good details and pose, Wendell. Like the lighting. The BG looks a little distracting to me, but I think darkening it as Desmond suggested would help. Good work!

[Lance Peters]

Hi Wendell - looking good - good advice from AL and Desmond - will improve just that little bit.
Like the HA and the behaviour.
Keep em coming :)

[Jeff Cashdollar]

Exposure techs are spot-on.

Tad soft, good for HH, does Nikon had an "Al Servo" type setting and are you using it?

[Gus Cobos]

Good advise given Wendell,
I like this very much...the post processing is looking better...congrats...:cool:

[Thanaboon Jearkjirm]

Love the pose, sharpness, feather details and the bird's shadow. Agree about trying to bring the bird (and probably its shadow) to stand out more from the background. The center placement looks fine to me. Good job.

[wendell westfall]

Jeff, yes, my camera does have an "Al Servo type setting", and I do use it.