Spoonbill landing photo a winner.

[Hazel Grant]

"Environmental Defense Fund
Congratulations to John Barta, Alexandra Cameron, Corey Tapper, Hazel Smithco Grant, and Jody Hildreth - the winners of our Spring Photo Contest! Come to our page to check out the 5 winning photos."


Thanks for all your comments to help me get this in better shape. Thanks, James Shadle for a wonderful day on the Hooptie-Deux! I learned so much!

[Stu Bowie]

Congrats Hazel. I do like the landing posture here, together with the spoonbill's lovely colour. Although the raised wings suit the comp, I would maybe have tried a conventional landscape comp, but not sure what you have on the RHS.

[Hazel Grant]

This is a landscape crop. fyi

[Daniel Cadieux]

Congrats on your win!

A day on the Bay with Capt. Shadle is not soon forgotten...:c3: Judging from the uncropped version I feel that you chose the best comp. For me however, I find that the largish crop has mader the details suffer somewhat. I'm also not crazy about the shaded face. Neat dynamic pose, and the subtle clean-up on the surroundings is well done and un-noticeable (although the rock at bill-tip and horizontal branch underneath it could disappear too)

[Hazel Grant]

Yes, I had to crop it quite a bit and therefore lost some of the sharpness. Fully understood. Shot it at 300 and needed a stronger lens for sharpness. Maybe next time I'll have such a lens. It was late afternoon, therefore the shadows. Even so, it is a huge step ahead for me, as are all good learning experiences. Thanks for your critique

[James Shadle]

Hazel,
Congratulations and it was my pleasure.

"Environmental Defense Fund" - sounds like they might me easier on the backgrounds than we are:w3.

Keep it up!!

[Kaustubh Deshpande]

Hazel, pose is nice. Color always rocks with this bird. Exposure looks good as well.

I am not sure if focus is perfectly on the bird though. I can understand that as the Bg is very easy to latch on to.