Illusionary

[Bob Pelkey]

What do you think you see beyond the species? Anything that just doesn't seem right? This is a theme I have been considering for a long while with the occasionally unexpected.

http://www.pbase.com/jkrnm5/image/128463060/original/jpg78345
San Carlos Bay: Bunch Beach Preserve
Fort Myers, Florida USA Canon EOS 5D Mark II (http://www.pbase.com/cameras/canon/eos_5d_mark_ii) ,Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS USM (http://www.pbase.com/cameras/canon/ef_600_4is)
1/1250s f/7.1 at 840.0mm iso400, tripod, cropped, lightened, sharpened.
<table width="450" align="center" border="1" cellpadding="1"><tbody><tr><td class="sb" colspan="2">Full EXIF Info</td></tr> <tr><td class="lid" nowrap="nowrap">Date/Time</td><td class="lid">06-Aug-2010 18:05:27</td></tr> <tr><td class="lid" nowrap="nowrap">Make</td><td class="lid">Canon</td></tr> <tr><td class="lid" nowrap="nowrap">Model</td><td class="lid">Canon EOS 5D Mark II</td></tr> <tr><td class="lid" nowrap="nowrap">Flash Used</td><td class="lid">No</td></tr> <tr><td class="lid" nowrap="nowrap">Focal Length</td><td class="lid">840 mm</td></tr> <tr><td class="lid" nowrap="nowrap">Exposure Time</td><td class="lid">1/1250 sec</td></tr> <tr><td class="lid" nowrap="nowrap">Aperture</td><td class="lid">f/7.1</td></tr> <tr><td class="lid" nowrap="nowrap">ISO Equivalent</td><td class="lid">400</td></tr> <tr><td class="lid" nowrap="nowrap">Exposure Bias</td><td class="lid">
</td></tr> <tr><td class="lid" nowrap="nowrap">White Balance</td><td class="lid">
</td></tr> <tr><td class="lid" nowrap="nowrap">Metering Mode</td><td class="lid">matrix (5)</td></tr> <tr><td class="lid" nowrap="nowrap">JPEG Quality</td><td class="lid">
</td></tr> <tr><td class="lid" nowrap="nowrap">Exposure Program</td><td class="lid">aperture priority (3)</td></tr> <tr><td class="lid" nowrap="nowrap">Focus Distance</td></tr></tbody></table>

[DustinFinn]

I like the up close shot, but the clipped tail is bothering me, and I think I've read and heard Artie say a few times about "cutting and not clipping" - so I might have cropped this tighter removing some from the bottom and right, giving better focus to the head.

Like the color and feather detail and a good angle on this.

[Doug Brown]

I'm going to agree with Dustin. I'm not a big fan of clipped tail feathers; if you're going to crop go a little tighter. Interesting angle with good sharpness and a nice exposure.

[Arthur Morris]

Though you have cut and not really clipped, I would crop from the right and below. What were you looking for?