Close Snowy

[Michael Gerald-Yamasaki]

79033

D3 200f/2 + TC17EII (340mm) 1/500 @ f/6.3 ISO2000 +0.67EV Matrix HH in lifting fog
Custom Picture Control, White detailing & color w/ selective LAB curves. L sharpening, selective nr

Happy to be this close (only crop to about 80%) Been sneaking up on this group of egrets for almost 2 months now (2-3 times a week) & lusting for longer reach.

Thanks for looking.

Cheers,

-Michael-

[Doug Brown]

Whites are properly exposed, the head is sharp, and you got the wings in a nice position (I like the motion blur too). The dangling feet are a plus. I'd consider a slight contrast boost.

[John Chardine]

Michael- Agree with Doug, a contrast boost would be a good move. I also tried boosting the saturation a little and it made a big difference.

Lovely layout to the image and great capture of action.

[Lance Peters]

Lots to like here Michael - Flying towards you - good HA and good exposure.
As mentioned a little contrast boost will give it that added POP.
lIKE IT!!

[Michael Gerald-Yamasaki]

Doug, John, Lance,

Greetings. Thanks much for the comments... I will take a look at the contrast again. (Hey Lance... in matrix, too! ;) )

Cheers,

-Michael-

[Julie Kenward]

Michael, I also like the bird's position but if this were mine I'd do a little clean up in the BG and FG. You have a couple of water spots behind the feet but no water in the image so I'd clone those out. I'd also try blending the whiter areas of the BG with the green to help those meld together better.

I've got to go against everyone else and say that I don't particularly like this wing blur. I would rather have seen a total freeze in this position or even more motion on the entire wings as they move from up to down. I do like the bird in the frame and your overall crop.

[John Hawkins]

I like this. Agree with the others comments about contrast, saturation. I would like to see it a little higher in the frame.

[Michael Gerald-Yamasaki]

Jules,

Thanks much... I didn't like the wing blur much at first but it's kinda grown on me. good ideas about the cleanup...

John, Thanks for the comment.

All,

What do you think of this...

79120

There yet?

Cheers,

-Michael-

[Doug Brown]

Better!

[Bill Dix]

Nice one, Michael. Your stalking patience has paid off, and the repost is an improvement. I agree about the motion blur; my first impression said it is out of focus, but it has grown on me. Beautiful placement in the frame, and with the cleaned-up BG it has just the right amount of blurred detail to show habitat.

[Bob Miller]

Hi Mike....I liked the wing blur right away! I also like the dark bg highlighting the whites in the bird. Nice capture!

[Michael Gerald-Yamasaki]

Doug, Bill, Bob,

Thanks much for taking the time to comment. Much appreciated...

Cheers,

-Michael-