HA Delemma #1

[Daniel Belasco]

I waited quite a long time at the pond yesterday evening for the lone bird, a Tricolored Heron, to pass by some interesting light. I got 2 interesting shots, but I don't know which one would be the most pleasing to viewers here?
I'm posting 2 versions of this shot of the Tricolored Heron. I'm mostly interested in the Head Angle (HA), thus the title. From what I'm gathering from people here this HA here is preferable to the image posted below--on this post. Is this true? I prefer the second shot as I like the profile and the colors of the bird slightly better.
I'm also unsure of the composition? I like the first shot for how the heron is centered against the Palm Frond. But...
The image was croped about 12% from each side and 5% from the top and bottom. So I have a little extra to work with out of the image presented here. I wanted to included the reddish brown decaying palm branch to the top on the bank of the pond. I like the color. The bubbles on the water to the right in the light green are a distraction a little? How do you think? So should I crop with the bird on the right and include more of the smoother water on the left? Or even take it to the extreme and make this a vertical crop with the heron slight right of center--again eliminating the bubbles in the water on the right and including a little more of the smooth water on the left?
Or do more with the image presented here to make it a more pleasing image? And What??

So this sums up my concerns. Sorry to make this a long winded story.
taken with canon 1dMKIIN 100-400 f5.6 zoom @ 340mm f5.6 1/500 sec iso 800http://newimages.fotopic.net/?iid=1yv5le&outx=600&noresize=1&nostamp=1

[Daniel Belasco]

Below is the second image. Call this HA #2.http://newimages.fotopic.net/?iid=1yv5l4&outx=600&noresize=1&nostamp=1
I like the profile HA here and the slightly better light on the heron. Negatives would be: heron not centered in Palm Fond and HA not the best as per viewers here.

??Questions: Which makes a more pleasing shot and how could I improve??--taking into considerations my concerns and ideas described in the orginal post above.

[David Fletcher]

Hi Daniel, no' 2 for me. No 1 has flatter light, less appealing HA and a distracting light reflection on r/h side. No 2, has better light and hA and to improve further, would consider cropping some off the top and right: (Right needs to remove that highlight ripple on the edge. Would also consider blending that dark line on the left so as not so prominent. Hope making sense). Cheers

[Graeme Sheppard]

I agree that the second is best of the pair. I think the problem with the HA in the first is that the beak becomes confused with the neck - they are a little too close. If you could have snapped it when they beak was a little more up or somehow distinguishable and pointed down, it would have made an interesting shot of the bird looking for food and hence a better shot.
Since I'm new here, don't take what I say as representative of the common opinion, though :)

[Marina Scarr]

No 2 works better for me. The light is better, as is the HA. I personally feel that the bird is too centered and that the palm behind it detracts (in this case) from your subject. I would go with #2 and crop it from the right. You acquired gorgous colors in the second frame and the colors in the water is gorgeous.

[denise ippolito]

Daniel, I also prefer #2 . I agree w/ the bird being too centered. I love the water colors and the details look good.

[Nicki Gwynn Jones]

Another vote for No 2 - reasons as stated above and I also like the slightly raised leg!
Best,
Nicki

[Daniel Belasco]

Surprising comments, so far!
I thought from what I've been seeing here that the first image would be overwhelmingly preferred!
So maybe my compositional skills arn't as far out of the norm as I thought.
Thanks
dan