It was a reddish egret kinda day

[Nancy A Elwood]

Went out to Merritt Island this am and found a fair bit of activity, but this reddish egret provided us with a good show. Nice clear water and full breeding colors:D. Taken with the D300, Nikon 500 f/4 lens, f/7.1, 1/1600, iso 640 and The Quick Action Harness.

http://www.naturesportal.net/Florida/General-1/Merritt-IslandDSC4053100220/792752921_iw5VC-L.jpg

[Mike Milicia]

Great action and beautiful bird and water!

Highlights seem a bit bright and I'm seeing a fairly strong color cast (blue and/or green?).

[John Chardine]

Nancy- I think this is quite spectacular. There are so many elements in the image that appeal. I love the symmetry provided by the strong reflection, and the action including the prominent disturbance in the water. This is perhaps a case where head angle is not so critical to the look and feel of the image as there is a strong feeling that the bird is concentrating on what it's doing. I would only suggest a couple of things- a slight CCW rotation and a slight toning down of the brightness.

[Nancy A Elwood]

Thanks Mike and John! Mike I do not see any cast on my monitor, but I did tone down slightly the brightness and looked at the CCW rotation. Worked a treat!

[Mike Milicia]

Hi Nancy,
Here's a repost that attempts to correct what I was seeing. Just did it quick and dirty with the average blur method but interested to know if you see any difference and if you think it's better or worse.

[Jory Griesman]

Beautiful image in all respects. I think Mike's repost is better, primarily as seen in the water colour/cast.

[Fabs Forns]

Stunning reflection image with great action. Although I love and use the blue average method, I tired another trick today that I already used on Roman's lions in Wildlife. Just used the gray eyedropper in Curves over the gray feathers, voila. Of course, you need a neutral area in the image for this to work. I didn't rotate or anything else.
See what you think.

[Nancy A Elwood]

Mike thanks, when I decreased the brightness the BG looks like your repost. The bird I kept a bit darker than your repost.

http://cdn-2-service.phanfare.com/images/external/5002860_4545980_93644207_Web_3/0_0_e7d1a6f55708a977a7f15ffa6cfec5ed_1

[Mike Milicia]

Fabs' version looks even better!
Colors on the bird look to be spot on to me.

Didn't notice before but also seem to be some oversaturated "stripes" in the fg water.

[Nancy A Elwood]

Fabs we posted at the same time:D. I think ours look very similiar. Greats minds you know.:D

[Fabs Forns]

I think your grey has a slight green cast to it?
Try the eyedropper, it seems to solve the cast problem.

It's a heck of an image wither way :)

[Nancy A Elwood]

Thanks Fab! Will give it a try.:)

[Jim Fenton]

Really like this Nancy and between the reflection and the minnow / plant material, I think they add to to the image.

Color is definitely a bit out of sorts as it looks as though it has both too much cyan and green on my end?

Also...check the bill in the reflection as it shows a much darker / more saturated red than the above water portion does.

[Don Lacy]

Hi Nancy, I played with this earlier but had to go to dinner before I had a chance to post I used levels liked Fabs and set both the black, white , and mids with the eye dropper and pretty much got the same image as she did. Still a wonderful image.

[Jim Fenton]

Nancy...

I wasn't there so I have no clue how much blue presented in the water to your eyes.

This is what I'd imagine in my minds eye though...

[Daniel Cadieux]

I've enjoyed seeing all these reposts...with Fabs' being my favorite. I also like what Jim has done.

A personal thing I have with nice reflections such as this is that for some reason I have always preferred the same amount of room above and below. Looks more balnaced this way to my eye...don't know why, but that's how I feel virtaully every time! So here you go....yet another version!!:D Cropped a bit above, and added a bit below...

[Nancy A Elwood]

Well, guys and gals well done!! Thanks to all.:) Jim the water was definitely a lovely blue green color which acturally was quite striking. Daniel I could see adding more to the bottom for sure:).

[Gavin Spooner]

Even in all the edits the over-exposed bill is still a problem/distraction, and is often an issue with RE shots. Symmetry looks good and nice action.

cheers
Gavin