Down the hatch

[Grace Scalzo]

Here is a yellow craowned night heron eating a crab.

1/1250,f8, iso00
Canon 1dx, 600f4 + 1.4tc + lowered rrs tripod

[PhilCook]

Stunning capture Grace, timing is great and the techs all look good to me, layered and smooth backdrop is special, I wonder if angle of shot could of been a little higher so as to eliminate the oof strip on the bottom

[Karl Egressy]

I like the super low angle and the layered background.
I also like the crab in the beak and showing details inside of the mouth.
Nice pose too.
All in all it is a great work, Grace.

[Diane Miller]

If there is a prize for the lowest tripod, I think you should win -- it looks like the lens was partially submerged! And it looks closer than it must have been with 840mm -- It has the look of being very close with a wide angle lens. Unique and lovely!

[Robert Kimbrell]

Nice timing Grace, I like the layered B/g , but even more is the foreground, He looks like he is standing on a bed of jewels to me.

[Karen Forderer]

He is very nice and sharp. Love the action. I really like the green foreground.

[dankearl]

I agree with Diane on the look of this.
It does not have the look of a telephoto shot, seems intimate and the bulging eye looks kind of surreal.
I would just eliminate the highlights along the BG edge at the birds feet and maybe blur the mound and the immediate FG just a tad.

[Loi Nguyen]

Grace, it is a stunning and unique shot. the low angle shooting upward, the sharpness of the bird, the action, the eye, and most of all the multi-layer BG. You nailed this one. Loi

[vishaljadhav]

Wonderful setting, my eye directly went to the birds eye, its superb
the catch adds a lot to this image

[Grace Scalzo]

Thank you everyone for your comments. I've cropped this some, probably contributing to the wide-angle appearance. I did like that upward angle, but a bit higher would have been an alternative. I cannot always adjust as fast as I might like, especially when in a situation where my gear is in some peril. I appreciate your kind words and suggestions.

[David Salem]

Very cool looking capture Grace. I like the shooting angle as it adds a neat dimention to the shot. The down the hatch pose, the clear orange eye, and that really nice muti- colored sweet BG are making for a very pleasing shot. Well done!

[Girish Prahalad]

great low angle & pose. the open mouth & the eye draws the viewer in.
excellent details & exp as well.

[Dperkell]

Hi Grace love the image! Great moment! Where did you take this?

[Satish Ranadive]

Wonderful pose,nice lights,great low angle and beautiful composition.
Love the eye and crab in the beak.

Regards,
Satish.

[Melissa Groo]

Fantastic, Grace! You caught this at just the right moment--and no nictitating membrane! Many of mine had that problem. Love the low angle, that background, and your composition. Beautifully done.