The Dancing Queen!

[Callie de Wet]

Juvie trying his wings – although fully grown, these youngsters can still not fly. Caught him during an exercise session.
Black-headed Heron, <I>Ardea melanocephala</I>, Kingdom: Animalia (Animals), Phylum: Chordata (Vertebrates), Class: Aves (Birds), Order: Ciconiiformes (Storklike Birds), "Family: Ardeidae (Herons, Egrets, Bitterns)", Swartkopreier, Schwarzkopfreiher, Garça-de-cabeça-preta, Héron mélanocéphale, Zwartkopreiger

D300s; 600 F/4G;ISO 800; 1/2500, -0.7 EV; AP ; Matrix; 07h17AM Has a bit of a purple cast in the shy, but have no clue what to shift where in Colour Balance, if this is where it is adjusted.
Cropped on Right, added on left and top.<o></o>

[Daniel Cadieux]

I can just picture him flapping away, but not taking off. Looks like he's just about ready though! Image could go a bit lighter IMO, and I wish there was a bit more room below for the clipped toes. WB is off...very magenta - an easy fix using Colour Balance.

[Callie de Wet]

I can just picture him flapping away, but not taking off. Looks like he's just about ready though! Image could go a bit lighter IMO, and I wish there was a bit more room below for the clipped toes. WB is off...very magenta - an easy fix using Colour Balance.

Yes Daniel, I agree on the WB, as stated in the write-up, but how? How do you know it is magenta?
Toes, yes it is difficult following him up and down nearly two meters and stil to get all the parts in. Have several; FF with just the primaries clipped, wish makes it a no use picture for me.

[Daniel Cadieux]

Yes Daniel, I agree on the WB, as stated in the write-up

Oops sorry, I read your write-up but did not register the colour cast part:o

I mostly know it's magenta from experience, and having a knack at detecting colour issues. If the sky is normally blue, and now it is purple - it means magenta (and perhaps some red) got mixed in there. This one looks more like magenta hue-wise.

When you open Colour Balance, just slide the slider in the opposite direction of Magenta (towards green). You can also try opposite Red (towards blue). You can do this to taste (assuming your monitor is properly calibrated). If your use RAW you can adjust the WB during conversion in one easy step. I use LR, and that would be the "Tint" slider to correct to magenta cast.

[Phil Ertel]

Hi Callie, I like the pose. Daniel hit all the high points. As Daniel alluded to there are many different ways to correct the color balance. I agree the easiest would be during conversion. I was curious on what the image would look like with the color adjusted so I established the Black and White points using a threshold layer and then set the points using the black and white eye-droppers in a levels adjustment layer. (see example attached). Again, I enjoyed your image and thanks for sharing.

I forgot to add one additional suggestion. If this were mine I would consider a cropping some off the right side (just enough to lose the vegetation that goes up the side of the frame. This would also move the bird further away from the center.