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Thread: King of the Hill - Egrets

  1. #1
    Avian Moderator Brian Sump's Avatar
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    Default King of the Hill - Egrets

    Name:  2020-05-12-Snowy-Egret-Kingofthehill-Brian-Sump_6023-SIG-FORUM.jpg
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    Ok, my head's spinning but think I'm making progress....

    This is a bit of a different one for me being that it's not just a portrait or just BIF. Took my best crack at it and just wanted to share because it tells a story.

    Snowy Egrets are fairly territorial. I was watching the first (flying at right) and then the second came in to claim its turf. Hence the war head dress in full flare. Have several captures of the instance, but this one I think tells it best.

    (Shot yesterday am about 745, overcast skies. Same shoot as the first one, "Egret Incoming")

    D850
    Sigma 500mm f4
    Handheld

    ISO 1800
    1/2500
    f4

    C1P adjustments, 8 DNAI, levels and colors plus some water clean up in PS. Very mild crop on LH and top.

    There are so many little white spots on the water. After removing a bunch, I left the rest.

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    Lifetime Member gail bisson's Avatar
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    Hi Brian,
    I am afraid that I am not loving this one.
    My main issue is the cut off reflection of the bird on the left and that less than desirable man made cement blocks in the BG.
    The bird on the right needs more room to fly into.
    I would crop and isolate just one bird but then the story is lost. Always nice to get 2 birds sharp in the frame though!
    Gail

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    Lifetime Member Colin Driscoll's Avatar
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    Brian, a good story and both birds look terrific.
    IMO the crop is a bit awkward and would lend itself to more of a pano crop cut off a bit below the feet of the left side bird.

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    BPN Member dankearl's Avatar
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    This is awkward comp as noted but the IQ is nice.
    You did not do much to this I am assuming from your post?
    Less is more, no masks, no gimmicks.
    It looks good.
    The best bird photographers here that I listen to (Arash, Dorian, Gail, Daniel Cadieux)
    Don't use a lot of PP gimmicks that I can see.
    Learn from them.
    When you read critiques that tell you to select certain areas and mask them
    and adjust them and then do another area and on and on and adjust this and that...
    That is Landscape photography.
    Bird photography is getting the shot. That is it.
    Last edited by dankearl; 05-15-2020 at 09:21 PM.
    Dan Kearl

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    Avian Moderator Brian Sump's Avatar
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    Thank you

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    Macro and Flora Moderator Jonathan Ashton's Avatar
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    You caught the action nicely but there is too much going on, where do we look and the two cut off reflections pull the eye . I have to admit had I been there I would have taken the image, i think most would in the heat of the moment.
    I feel some of the darker areas are a little heavy - check out the bill of the bird RHS and those dark green areas bottom RH corner, I think this image is also carrying a lot of blue.

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    Super Moderator Daniel Cadieux's Avatar
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    As a natural history moment caught in time this is more than fine. As an artistic bird photograph, less so for the reasons already stated. I bet it was fun to watch though, and I have a few such frames that is neat to revisit at times to relive the moment (especially from out-of-town vacation stuff).

  8. #8
    Avian Moderator Brian Sump's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jonathan Ashton View Post
    You caught the action nicely but there is too much going on, where do we look and the two cut off reflections pull the eye . I have to admit had I been there I would have taken the image, i think most would in the heat of the moment.
    I feel some of the darker areas are a little heavy - check out the bill of the bird RHS and those dark green areas bottom RH corner, I think this image is also carrying a lot of blue.

    Ok Jonathan. FWIW, I did notice blue in the birds and increased some yellows in PS to offset. Not sure if I had the bill of the right bird included in that particular adjustment though, and perhaps I could have done more.

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    Hi Brian, I love the pose on both and like Collin's crop suggestion but I'd go right to the bottom edge of the actual rocks. Tried it with scroll and it leaves your two subjects on a strong diagonal through the frame. Great job on EXP, SH and timing. TFS

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    Nice to see something different on here. The pose on the left bird is great. Love the hair do as well.

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