Proud Parent...

[Joseph Przybyla]

I captured this image a few years ago at Circle B Bar Reserve in Polk County, Florida. The image is of a Great Blue Heron adult and a chick. The year before this image the pair of GBH (assuming the same) built a nest is the same spot but abandoned it. Comments and critique welcomed and appreciated. Thank you for viewing.

Nikon D7000
Nikon 55-300mm F/4.5-5.6 VR AF-S ED image captured at 300mm
1/400 F/8 Matrix Metering EV 0 ISO 160 AWB HH
Post processed in Lightroom Classic CC, Photoshop CC 2018 and Neat Image for noise reduction
Cropped for composition and presentation

[Jonathan Ashton]

Wow that's an eye catching image, I note you cropped for presentation, if it is possible to reduce the crop slightly I would, I think IQ would be better. I would suggest you burn the twigs a little so they don't draw the eye from the terrific looking birds. You may consider dropping luminosity on the sky, I think that would effectively add a little blue, talking about blue I think there is a blue cast in the blacks especially in the head of the adult.

[Joseph Przybyla]

Wow that's an eye catching image, I note you cropped for presentation, if it is possible to reduce the crop slightly I would, I think IQ would be better. I would suggest you burn the twigs a little so they don't draw the eye from the terrific looking birds. You may consider dropping luminosity on the sky, I think that would effectively add a little blue, talking about blue I think there is a blue cast in the blacks especially in the head of the adult.

Hi Jon, suggestions well taken. I reworked the image, deciding to go vertical. This is full frame vertical from the horizontal. In the original out of the camera the birds were too far left, the vertical allowed me to reposition the birds. Regarding the IQ, there is now way a $500 lens can compare to a $3000 lens. Thank you for viewing and commenting.

[Jonathan Ashton]

Thanks for getting back Jo, the portrait uncropped is much better IQ, how about just trimming a bit off the base and a little off the top?....maybe clone/patch the large branch bottom left.

[John Mack]

I like both of these frames. The scene is very nice. Nice pose on both the birds and the nest is pretty neat.

[Bill Dix]

Great poses on both birds, and the hairdo on the parent is a killer. I also love the setting with the moss-covered tree. I like both comps, but think I might like a third option: vertical but with a slightly tighter crop if the IQ can take it.

[Dorian Anderson]

Yes, reworked crop is much better! Still fells 'overhead', but that's the nature of most nest shots.

[Arthur Morris]

I think that you did well with the original post and I far prefer it; you did a good job with the slightly less than soft light. And I love all the moss.

with love, artie

ps: SUN am at DeSoto was great!