Strike - Improvements welcomed!!

[Lance Peters]

One from a while ago.
Wish the dark area in the BG was not there - could be cloned out. Feel free to work this one if you are wanting to practise.

D3
Sigma 500mm F4.5
1/1500 TH
F4.8
400 ISO
Matrix Metering
Handheld - laying in the mud.

Cropped and sharpened.

Comments and reposts welcome

[arash_hazeghi]

very nice low angle and the water splash is very nice too.

[Joe Brown]

Nice shot. I agree with Arash regarding the low angle, and splash.
I would use S/H and B/C to brighten the egret and the whole image as well as increase the contrast. Also, the web image could use a touch of sharpening.

Joe

[Thanaboon Jearkjirm]

Love the action with the water droplets at the beak, really imply motion here. Love the low angle too. Seem like part of the bird is in shape, also I might try to do something about the transition in the background that intersect the bird.

[Fabs Forns]

I love the pose and splash, but my favorite part about the image is the detail in the whites. D3 rules ;)

[Troy Lim]

I don't mind so much about the dark area. It just shows the environment. Lovely exposure on white, nice action.

[Oscar Zangroniz]

Here you go Lance.
Not much of a PS expert by any means, I guess I was kind of bored :confused:
Regards,

[Milt Berko]

On my monitor, the repost has acquired an overall pink cast and the color of the beak is no longer the original yellow.

[Desmond Chan]

I love the pose and splash, but my favorite part about the image is the detail in the whites. D3 rules ;)

IMO, Lance is very good in handling details in the whites.

As for the photo, I'm OK as is. The darker part at the top actually helps the viewer focus on the bird. But, it could just be me. Or perhaps tone down the darkness :D