An ultra-tame young Great Blue Heron has been present for a few weeks at a local park and it has been eating anything and everything it can get its bill on: voles, chipmunks, frogs, crayfish, minnows, other fish. I'm pretty sure it had set its eyes on the kitchen sink at one point. In this image it is about the swallow the second of two crayfish that I managed to witness that morning. Very relaxed and methodical in its approach, even with photographers at close range...
Canon 7D + 500mm f/4 II + 1.4TC, manual exposure, evaluative metering, 1/250s, f/5.6, ISO 800, natural light handheld, about 85% FF, a few highlights in the BG toned down (including an horizontal oof reed in LLC), and the darker streak lightened a bit. NR to the BG.
10-07-2015, 03:51 PM
Joseph Przybyla
These birds are garbage cans. I have some far away images of them eating water snakes with the snake coiled around the birds head desperately trying to save itself before being dispatched. Lovely image, Daniel. Extremely sharp detail on the bird. Thank you for sharing.
10-07-2015, 07:37 PM
Ross Taylor
Hi Daniel,
Love what you did with the background, it looks great is not distracting, and really makes the disposal unit ... uh bird pop ;) The image is perfectly clear, sharp, and well lit.
The only constructive feedback I can offer you is to keep up the great work!
Thanks Daniel for posting this beauty I really enjoyed it :)
Ross
10-07-2015, 07:50 PM
Jim Crosswell
I like the composition, details, BG, sharpness and claws hanging out of the bill make this image special. Excellent image Daniel!
10-08-2015, 07:12 AM
Karl Egressy
The food item in the beak makes this image for me, Daniel.
10-08-2015, 11:22 AM
gail bisson
Lucky you to have such a cooperative subject.
I really like the comp and the PP you did on the BG.
IQ is excellent as well. I would love to see a GBH eating a chipmunk- wouldn't think the GBH was fast enough to catch a chipmunk!
Gail
10-08-2015, 01:08 PM
Diane Miller
Excellent as always!! And amazing about the chipmunks. I'd be tempted to put out one of those miniature hamburgers and hope it grabs it whole.
10-08-2015, 07:56 PM
Grace Scalzo
Super cool image filled with interest all the way around.
10-10-2015, 09:17 AM
Satish Ranadive
Magnificent portrait.
Regards,
Satish.
10-10-2015, 09:38 AM
William Dickson
Fantastic details on the bird, a lovely portrait. I would have liked to see more of the crayfish, if you have one. Nice work
Will
10-12-2015, 12:56 PM
Gabriela Plesea
Hello Daniel:)
I love this expression but I rarely use it : cracking detail:bg3:
Beautiful capture, techs 100%, wonderful pose from the subject and the catch a huge bonus, stunning close-up and the PP work is superb:5
