Bewick's Swan

[Ian Roy]

Canon 5dMk3
Canon 400mm f5.6
F14 ,1/160 sec, ISO 800 +1 step
Cropped in Photoshop,
Eye has been unsharp masked and upper manderbil has had highlight detail applied, (Thanks to Robert O'Tooles APTATS)
Back ground darkened and foreground lightened with Viveza 2

Hi
This is my virgin post so to speak.

[gail bisson]

Welcome to BPN Ian!
What a great shot.
Perfect techs with that DOF and the whites are beautifully exposed and detailed.
I might smooth out that faint whitish blob in the BG on the right in front of head.
I really like the composition you chose for this.
A really good first post, ( and a great way to lose your virginity!)
Gail

[Randy Stout]

Ian;

A big welcome to BPN. A nicely crafted image to start off with. Nice comp,carefully tweaked details.

I think a version about 1/4 -1/3 of a stop brighter might work well.The whites certainly could tolerate that without losing detail.

Effective DOF, which is always a challenge with this type of shot.

Cheers

Randy

[Arthur Morris]

Hey Ian, Big time welcome to BPN. Where do you live? Where was the bird photographed? I love the soft light and all the wonderful detail in the blacks and the whites. I wish only that the bird's head were angled just a bit towards us rather than a bit away. Square to the imaging sensor would have been perfect here.

[Marina Scarr]

A very fine first post, Ian, and you're off to a terrific start with this lovely image. Agree with all above comments. Very nice details. This would have been an even more captivating photo had the bird's head been turned just a tad more toward the viewer.

[Karl Egressy]

Nice first post Ian. Love the soft light and the fine details on the head and neck.

[Robert Holguin]

Very nice shot.
Very nice soft light, exposed very well, excellent details, great background, and great comp.
Well done.

[Ian Roy]

Hi
A big thank you to all that have looked at this...Its great having positive feed back and all the points have been taken on board.
Cheers
Ian

[Ian Roy]

HI
In answer to your questions I live in Reading Berkshire UK about 40 minutes drive from London.Good light days have been rare since about May last year when it started raining and hasn't stopped since...This shot was taken at the London Wetland centre a reserve operated by the Wildfowl and Wetlands trust effectively a managed habitat connected to the River Thames.

[Arthur Morris]

Thanks and welcome again. We have a Reading in Pennsylvania but no Bewick's Swans there :). It's pronounced "RED-ding." Been to the spot that you mentioned. And thanks a stack for your membership support.

[Bill Dix]

Terrific virgin post. Nicely done. I particularly like the fine comp, but also the good exposure and detail. I'm not as much of a head-angle stickler as some, but I would agree that a bit of turn toward you would have helped here.