GBH with dinner

[Diane Miller]

Shot at Bodega Bay a few days ago -- cloudier than I prefer and windy. Canon 5D Mk III, 600mm II + 1.4X III. Big Gitzo with Wimberley II. ISO 800, f/5.6, 1/1500 sec. Cropped to 20% of full frame. I should have put on the 2x. It was shot as a vertical as I was hoping for a good reflection but didn't happen. It hassled with the fish for quite a while but I only got this halfway decent head angle. It was shot at +1 EV but needed more than that. Basic LR adjustments then to PS CS6 for a little more tonal/color adjustment with the gray and white eyedroppers in Curves. Touched out quite a few OOF gray spots in the water.

C&C always appreciated.

[Rob Melone]

Amazing action shot! I would try bringing the heron a bit further to the left in the frame and increase color and contrast a bit. You were quick to capture this image.

[Simon Wantling]

Beautiful image Diane. The feather detail is superb. Amazing shot and mentioned above.

[Diane Miller]

Thanks, guys! I have PLENTY of canvas for more room on the right. After posting I noticed that in its zeal to clean up a BG spot, the spot removal tool in LR (whatever it's called) picked up a couple of the feathers on the breast. (Just above the water drop falling from the fish.) That tool still doesn't make the best choices. Cleaned it up and got rid of the drop while I was there, as it isn't really clear what it is, at least to me.

Just for laughs, here's the next frame. Good thing I clicked the shutter when I did. Then the heron turned away.

[Karl Egressy]

Great action shot, Diane.

[Iain Barker]

Hi Diane, glad to see you still have time to post as well as giving us great advice.

I was going to mention the lines from cloning. Appart from that I can't fault this image.
Very nice Image.

Iain

[Joseph Przybyla]

Hello Diane, great capture. Nice light, color and detail.

[Daniel Cadieux]

20% of FF? Quite the IQ despite that...you must have had a great file to begin with. Love the action the wing-splayed plumes, and the bonus prey item. I wouldn't mind a bit more room all around especially for the hidden feet being close to the bottom edge.

[Diane Miller]

Thanks, all! Plenty of room to add to the bottom, too. The reflection got quite ugly (wind-blown water) so I cropped higher than I would have preferred, despite lightening the reflection and lowering its contrast. The second frame, with the gull, is just out of LR with a sync of the most basic conversion settings for a series of shots, and more or less the same crop as the posted image. I don't think I could go further with contrast or saturation (tied together) in the OP in this light. Tomorrow I'll post one from the previous day with better light and a closer subject. (Wonder if it's the same heron? Frequently one is to be found here.)

I'm what they call a pixel-peeper, always looking / hoping for incredible sharpness and detail at 100%. Wish the recent threads on sharpening offered a magic potion, but as far as I can tell, they don't, at least for my level of software and expertise. The best I can do for now it to try to get sharp shots with little need to crop (which this one wasn't). Sharpening (in RAW or PS) causes noise that seemingly can't be reduced with noise reduction without loss of sharpness. Sigh... Hence big glass. Which introduces other issues such as the need for higher SS and ISO. Sigh...

[David Salem]

Great capture for both of you. Wonderful feather detail and perfect exposure control. Very nice Diane

[Raybel Robles]

Superb image!

[Stu Bowie]

Hi Diane, I like the feather detail showing, together with the excited pose showing off his catch. The colours of the heron, and the water compliment each other nicely.