Green Heron

I captured this image last Monday at Circle B Bar Reserve in Polk County, Florida. I was photographing this heron when I saw the crest raise up, something I could not see had attracted it's attention and stare. The head angle with the crest raised was slightly away from me. I shuffled a couple of steps to the right hoping to get on a parallel head angle. Maybe not perfect but about the best I could do before the bird was flushed by a couple of people walking behind me. Comments and critique welcomed and appreciated. Thank you for viewing.

Nikon D500
Nikon 500mm F/5.6 VR AF-S ED PF + Nikon 1.4 III Teleconverter, camera and lens supported by a Oben carbon fiber monopod with a Wimberly MonoGimbal head
1/3200 F/8 Matrix Metering EV 0 ISO 1000 Auto 1 WB, image captured at 700mm (1050mm 35mm Equivalent)
Post processed in Lightroom Classic, Photoshop CC 2021 and Topaz Denoise AI
Canvas added at the top and right, the bottom cropped for composition and presentation

I love it when they raise their crests like this. Yes, like your observation I too feel the head angle is just not quite there, but you tried....bad timing by those passing people. Good details, BG, perch (and feet gripping the perch). Vertical certainly was the way to go - I just wish you would have pointed your lens up a bit more.

I love the pose for the most part, certainly wish the head angle was a bit better, but totally understand why it wasn't. The vet are great and the BG is awesome.

Nice pose with the hair do. The streched out neck is nice as well. More room above would be nice. I like the two toned background.

Joe, really nice look of this GH. I like it perched like that.

The rich colors pique my interest and the lower section works well to offset the blue sky. Nice transition point.

Tones and sharpness are solid. Maybe it's just me but the head angle seems fine, just the eye looking away?

I'd love just a bit more canvas above and you could take a touch off the bottom. Might want to clean up that brighter spot in the LRC?

TFS.

Hi Joe such a nice subject and very good overall frame .
Love the pose and the bi colored soft BG .

TFS Andreas

Thanks everyone for viewing and commenting, much appreciated.