American Avocet

[Tim Foltz]

Canon 1dx • 700 mm • 1/3200 • f/7.1 • ISO 640 • handheld • manual

American Avocet feeding at one of my favorite ponds.

Thanks for looking.

-Tim

[Isaac Grant]

Love the look of the Avocet feeding in the dark green water. And the splash from their classic side to side feeding motion really adds to the shot. I often struggle with how to crop shots like this. If you are including the reflection than the bird is already fairly small in the frame so there is the temptation to crop tightly. But then sometimes the bird and the reflection are close to the edge of the frame. Honestly I am not 100% how to treat shots like this. Eager to hear if others think the crop should be loosened or left as is. It will help me with shots like this in the future.

[arash_hazeghi]

you nice breeding plumage, love the low angle and the water film between the beak and the water but not crazy about the pinched eye TFS

[David Salem]

Nice frame of this handsome guy sweeping for little crustaceans. I like the colors and the pose.
Interesting about the cropping question by Isaac. I look at a few things when composing a shot like this. The IQ and the quality of the reflection.
If the IQ is killer and if the reflection is not as good then I would opt for the tighter comp and if the IQ is marginal and the reflection is nice then I might consider the wider comp including the reflection and more of the habitat. If cropped wider, I usually like to have a little more canvas on the top than the bottom.
This one looks like a tweener to me. I do agree with Arash about the eye and I might consider cleaning up the catch in the eye as it will make the eye look sharper.
Nice shot Tim

[Tim Foltz]

Nice frame of this handsome guy sweeping for little crustaceans. I like the colors and the pose.
Interesting about the cropping question by Isaac. I look at a few things when composing a shot like this. The IQ and the quality of the reflection.
If the IQ is killer and if the reflection is not as good then I would opt for the tighter comp and if the IQ is marginal and the reflection is nice then I might consider the wider comp including the reflection and more of the habitat. If cropped wider, I usually like to have a little more canvas on the top than the bottom.
This one looks like a tweener to me. I do agree with Arash about the eye and I might consider cleaning up the catch in the eye as it will make the eye look sharper.
Nice shot Tim

Thanks Dave on closer inspection there is a double catchlight on the avocet, I'll clean that up.

-Tim

[John Mack]

Love the reflection and the water being pulled up by the bill.

[Jay Shah]

Very nice image, nothing to add to comments already made. TFS

[Bill Dix]

A lovely setting and nice light. The same cropping thoughts occurred to me, and Dave's thoughtful response summed up my feelings as well. I could also imagine a version with more room at top, cropping out the reflection.