Green Heron: "Maybe They Won't See Me From This Spot!"

A very tame Green Heron has been hanging out at a local pond, easily offering full-frame head and shoulder portraits (even with shorter lenses), but I thought this "subject-small-in-the-frame" image was fun (and it was ironically taken with the large lens combo). If you look carefully there is also a blue damselfly close to the heron's bill :-)

Canon 7D + 500mm f/4 II + 1.4TC, manual exposure, evaluative metering, 1/800s., f/5.6, ISO 800, natural light, handheld, FF, a few yellow flowers strategically digitally pruned out and desaturated the remaining ones, three grasses crossing horizontally in front of the subject'neck and belly content-awared out.

This is neat, Daniel. I really like that you show the nice environment.

I agree with Karl, it's good to see the nice environment and refreshing to see a well planned 'subject small in the frame' shot. Bravo!

I really like this one.
Good composition with the diagonal line of the shore leading to the heron.
Really like the pop of yellows and purple.
Gail

Perfect imo. The head on view of the heron with those goofy looking eyes is awesome. You've once again nicely balanced all the elements in the frame. How lucky for you to have tame green herons!...Great mix of flowers! Evening nightshade for the purple ones, and it looks like the yellows are bird's foot trefoil....but I'm not that good at identifying flowers as of yet...Would have totally missed the damselfy if you had not pointed it out..great little detail.

Love the composition. The bird easily caught my attention due to its contrast with the environment, and the leading diagonal line. I also like the 'anxious' head-up expression and cool colors.

Very nice environmental image, Daniel. The flowers and grasses leading down to the Green Heron standing just in the water, is a beautiful composition. There is another bird that puts a smile on my face when you get a head on view and that's the Osprey.



Geoffrey

Love this shot! Very nice composition! I like the way the diagonal lines of the shore and the top part of the vegetation/flowers leading to the subject. Love the pose of the Heron with a curious look on his face! A perfect and well executed shot, Daniel!

very cool Dan, I like the alert pose and the display of the environment. It shows the behavior well. I might go for a slightly tighter crop

TFS

The "eyes" have it! Excellent environmental image. Great colors and comp.

A real stunner, Daniel and I love what you've done with the comp/crop and all the environment!!!

Now this is awesome! Don't see how you could crop it tighter, the comp is perfectly balanced as is. Love the inclusion of the flowers and scenery, this has gotta be one of your very best Dan!

Well done!