Down the hatch

Here is a yellow craowned night heron eating a crab.

1/1250,f8, iso00
Canon 1dx, 600f4 + 1.4tc + lowered rrs tripod

Stunning capture Grace, timing is great and the techs all look good to me, layered and smooth backdrop is special, I wonder if angle of shot could of been a little higher so as to eliminate the oof strip on the bottom

I like the super low angle and the layered background.
I also like the crab in the beak and showing details inside of the mouth.
Nice pose too.
All in all it is a great work, Grace.

If there is a prize for the lowest tripod, I think you should win -- it looks like the lens was partially submerged! And it looks closer than it must have been with 840mm -- It has the look of being very close with a wide angle lens. Unique and lovely!

Nice timing Grace, I like the layered B/g , but even more is the foreground, He looks like he is standing on a bed of jewels to me.

He is very nice and sharp. Love the action. I really like the green foreground.

I agree with Diane on the look of this.
It does not have the look of a telephoto shot, seems intimate and the bulging eye looks kind of surreal.
I would just eliminate the highlights along the BG edge at the birds feet and maybe blur the mound and the immediate FG just a tad.

Grace, it is a stunning and unique shot. the low angle shooting upward, the sharpness of the bird, the action, the eye, and most of all the multi-layer BG. You nailed this one. Loi

Wonderful setting, my eye directly went to the birds eye, its superb
the catch adds a lot to this image

Thank you everyone for your comments. I've cropped this some, probably contributing to the wide-angle appearance. I did like that upward angle, but a bit higher would have been an alternative. I cannot always adjust as fast as I might like, especially when in a situation where my gear is in some peril. :w3 I appreciate your kind words and suggestions.

Very cool looking capture Grace. I like the shooting angle as it adds a neat dimention to the shot. The down the hatch pose, the clear orange eye, and that really nice muti- colored sweet BG are making for a very pleasing shot. Well done!

great low angle & pose. the open mouth & the eye draws the viewer in.
excellent details & exp as well.

Hi Grace love the image! Great moment! Where did you take this?

Wonderful pose,nice lights,great low angle and beautiful composition.
Love the eye and crab in the beak.

Regards,
Satish.

Fantastic, Grace! You caught this at just the right moment--and no nictitating membrane! Many of mine had that problem. Love the low angle, that background, and your composition. Beautifully done.