Just a Willet

[W T Lloyd]

But I like how he blended into his background that day....
5D and 600 f/4.0IS w/ 1.4EX, 840mm @ f/8 1/2500
This is my first image post.

[Alfred Forns]

Big Welcome to your first post !!! Glad you decided to get your feet wet The only way !!!!

Do like the pose and bg very much Nice low angle and you included the entire shadow !!!!!! Might have given some more room at top Seems just tight You did fine with the exposure Light was still on the harsh side Would clone out the two bright white spots by the feet Excellent and looking forward to more !!!

[Jim Poor]

Nice bird in nice light. I don't know if cloning out the little things is really all that necessary, but I gave it a whack anyway.

In addition to getting rid of a light or dark spot here and there I also:

Took the image into LAB mode and did a curves adjustment to the A & B channels,

Rotated the image CCW 4 degrees or so (it may have just been the slope of the beach, but the plane of the depth of field is clearly slanted in the original and it bugged me) to personal taste. I added canvass all around to cover the holes created by the rotation.

Sharpened the little bit of sand kicked up by the foot. I really liked it and wanted to emphasize it.

Were the image mine, I would crop from the left as the shadow doesn't add enough interest in my eyes to justify the more centered comp. I'd would then probably add canvass to the right to get away from the square.

[Linda Robbins]

Agree with the comments above and like the repost...especially the emphasis on the kicked sand which adds a lot of interest. I like the inclusion of the entire shadow so I might add canvas to the top and right if it were mine. Nice low perspective and a very nice image.

[W T Lloyd]

Wow, I really like this! Thanks for comments, and I have to say, I forgot to even think about cropping and position in the frame.....geez. I very much like what you did, Jim, the rotation is a big improvement, and LAB mode curves adjustment is something I will have to learn about.

[Jim Poor]

A good book is http://www.amazon.com/Photoshop-LAB-Color-Adventures-Colorspace/dp/0321356780 . The ability to do curves for contrast without changing luminosity and blowing highlights is worth the price of the book.