I captured this image in 2015 at the rookery in the alligator breeding pond at Gatorland, Orlando, Florida. I recently worked it up using new tools in Lightroom and better skills at post processing. Comments and critique welcomed and appreciated.
Nikon D7000
Nikon 80-400mm F/4.5-5.6 VRII AF-S ED shot at 300mm (450mm FFE)
1/1000 F/7.1 Matrix Metering EV 0 ISO 1800 AWB, camera supported by a monopod
Post processed in Lightroom CC and Photoshop CC 2017,cleaned up the eye, dodging and burning on the feathers of the bird
Cropped for composition and presentation
Joe Przybyla
"Sometimes I do get to places just as God is ready to have somebody click the shutter"... Ansel Adams
Man I like these close up shots you get of your pet cormorants in Florida. Jealous as ours are quite hard to approach. I love the eye and the details under the eye and the nice worn and weathered bill. I thing I will suggest is that it looks like you lifted the shadows a bit too much behind the eye on the back of the head/ I think that area could show more of that beautiful detail that is evident below the head on the neck.
Isaac, thank you for viewing and commenting. The area you mention was burned rather than dodged. Very bad lighting on this one from the side, I was trying to blend in a over exposed area. I was on the tower at Gatorland and could not move to get on the light angle, sometimes I wish I was a hummingbird. I will try darkening it a tad more. Thanks again.
Joe Przybyla
"Sometimes I do get to places just as God is ready to have somebody click the shutter"... Ansel Adams
Image well processed and full of details. Good pose. I would personally add a tad to the top and left, and take some off of right. It's a tad tight in the frame for my taste.
Double-crested Cormorant
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