Spotted Sandpiper

[gail bisson]

Canon 1D MKIV
F 100-400mm at 400mm
ISO 400
SS 1/640
F 7.1
HH, ~ 30% crop all around and rotated a bit. 6:20PM
PP in LR3 and CS5 with levels, NR and DE at 3% on bird only
Comments and critiques always appreciated and learned from with thanks,
Gail
? take a bit more off the top and I should have cloned out the highlight on tip of bill.

[Karl Egressy]

Nice plume, good looking bird. The blue looks a little strong, but it could have been the colour at the light you had there, Gail.
Nice overall composition.

[Joe Senzatimore]

Fine capture gail. Your use of DOF and selective focus make this pop. Love the beautiful water BG.

[Jack Breakfast]

Very pretty, Gail, and what's not to like about those blues? There is a subtle touch of reddishness directly behind your friend, almost touching his middle-back and I might be inclined to clone that out. I find it mildly distracting, but only mildly. I think that's what folks like to call a "nit" because really it's quite small, as a louse's egg should be! Lovely shot...

[Jim Crosswell]

Nice image Gail! I like the sharpness, DOF, setting and BG. I would take a little off the top.

[Grace Scalzo]

I think that trimming from the top will de-power (is that a word???) the blue and allow more focus on your nice subject. An unconventional head angle that I like very much in this case.

[Satish Ranadive]

Marvelous image.
I like the way bird is standing in beautiful blue flowing water and his expression,looks like thinking something seriously.
A bit more off the top,I agree with Jim.

Regards,
Satish.

[Sachin Saraf]

Gail,

This is beautiful Image but the BG is overpowering and if mine I would try and tone it down. Also agree with Grace regarding trimming some from top which will give it Pano look and will go very well with the presented HA.

[Shawn Zierman]

Love that water movement. Particularly like the feet detail, grasping that liquified rock surface...
The color in the water to the right of the bird is obviously rocks right under the surface of the
shallow water...looks natural, and would leave it as is. I think you are right on regarding
tinkering with cropping to "perfect" the presentation. Considering cloning the highlight on
the tip of the bill is far to obsessive imo. Very nice image!

[Marina Scarr]

Comp works well whether or not you crop more from the top. The HA works well with this comp. You still have a good look at the bird. Like the rocks, the bird's feet and the movement of water around the rocks. Removing the highlight from the tip of the beak is a personal choice.

[Robert Holguin]

Wonderful shot. I really like the pose, great light, wonderful perch, great comp.
Well done.

[arash_hazeghi]

nice light and details but I have to say overall I am not sure about this frame as both the body and head are angled away from us. Also I would not brighten the pupil for these species, it makes them look a bit unnatural IMO

[gail bisson]

Thanks for the comments everyone.
Arash- I did not touch the eye. I think it is just the way the head is angled and the light is hitting it.
Gail

[Stu Bowie]

Hi Gail, I like the overall setting, and the Sandpiper is nice and sharp with good DOF. I really like the different blues of the water, and I feel taking a bit off the top wont harm the image. The angle of the Sandpiper is growing on me.

[Frank Schauf]

Nice composition and excellent expsoure control and sharpness, Gail.