Reddish Egret with Fish

[Mike Landwehr]

Portrait of reddish egret taken at Little Estero two weeks ago. I rarely use a square crop, but nothing else really seemed to work since I don't have the full body or complete legs. What do you think? Any C & C appreciated.

1D Mark II N
500 mm + 1.4x
ISO 250
1/500 @ f/5.6
Tripod

[Julie Brown]

Hi Mike. It works for me. I like the sharp detail and warm color in the head, and the nice blurred BG. The open beak with the fish is added interest.

[Danny Laredo]

Lovely image Mike. Excellent detail comp and expo.

[Gal Shon]

I think the squre format works very well here.
BG and light are beautiful. The fish is a nice bonus, but the leaf adds so much more.
I like the eye contact, sharpness and details.

[Joe Senzatimore]

A real beauty ,this one. Love the square format for this.

[Connie Mier]

I like the square crop as well, seems to place more emphasis where it should be, on the beak and fish. The leaf is a nice touch, a little veggie with that sushi?

[Bryan Hix]

It works just fine for me. The colors of the bird looks great and the leaf is a nice touch! :)

[Ofer Levy]

Here is a vertical that seems to work - what do you think?

[Fabs Forns]

I see that Big Red like his fish with salad :)
I like the square crop since I'm not bonded by ratios.
Nice EXP and detail in the feathers, way to go, Mike.

[Daniel Cadieux]

I don't mind your square crop, and I like how the upper leg anchors the egret to the bottom of the frame. I absolutely love the shaggy mane, very cool! I also love the way the upper mandible has pierced the leaf. The only thing that could have made this better would be for the fish to face our way...tough to ask for I know!:)

[Arthur Morris]

I much prefer the SQ crop; with the VERT crop there is to much dead negative space below for my eye. Everything else is dead solid perfect as mentioned above. Love the speared dead leaf. Way to go Mike. This is one of your very best.

[Troy Lim]

Square crop seems to work better.

[Dumay de Boulle]

I also prefer the square crop...Super detail and light..Nicely done Mike!

[Hugo Estévez]

I like very much the detail of the leaf. It talks about the heron´s speed when it catched the fish.

[Mike Landwehr]

Thanks, Ofer, for taking a shot at a vertical crop. I usually prefer the portrait aspect ratio to the square, but think I'll stick with the square in this instance. And thanks as well to Artie and the rest of the respondents for your words of encouragement. I do love the neck feathers on the reddish egrets!