Willet at Little Estero Lagoon

Attachment 101358

Tripod in the surf, (overall: Brightness +15, Contrast +45, Smart Sharpen 66%, Radius .3 pixels, Remove Gaussian Blur, Unsharp Mask +108%, .4 pixels, Threshold 10 levels), selective Brightness -1 on right wing of each bird, selective removal of water droplets, outlined upper half of image and above the foreground Willet with the Lasso Tool and Reduced Noise: Strength 8, Preserve Details 4%, Reduce Color Noise 45%, Sharpen Details 0%; and finally Brightened the black stump +63.

Among the greatest thrills in bird photography IMO are the action shots. Take 'em while you can get 'em.

This image was captured as thunder and lightning loomed about a mile in the gulf with another storm approaching from the northeast. It began to rain minutes later. I'd like a little more room on the right, but the canvas isn't there. If it were, I'd add a little more room at top and bottom which I do have after cropping the image moderately.

Willet at Little Estero Lagoon
Fort Myers Beach, Florida USA

Canon EOS-1D Mark III ,Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS USM
1/2000s f/5.6 at 840.0mm iso400

Full EXIF Info
Date/Time	21-Sep-2011 15:41:03
Make	Canon
Model	Canon EOS-1D Mark III
Flash Used	No
Focal Length	840 mm
Exposure Time	1/2000 sec
Aperture	f/5.6
ISO Equivalent	400
Exposure Bias	+2/3
White Balance
Metering Mode	matrix (5)
JPEG Quality
Exposure Program	aperture priority (3)
Focus Distance	31.3 m

Although I think that I understand where you were trying to go with this, Bob, but I don't feel as though it works. Unfortunately b/c of the big dark stick in the front right and the busy BG, it is tough to concentrate on and appreciate the subjects and their behavior.

Almost looks like a winter setting! Good action, but the image is a little too busy for me too, and the front bird blocks the far bird a bit too much. It could use a squarish crop by taking some off the left, and needs some CW rotation (or at least it has that impression).