Reddish Egret Dance

[Cheryl Flory]

Canon 40D
Sigma 50 - 500 lens

1/2000
F6.3
Aperture priority
ISO 500
Exposure Compensation +0.33
500mm

I loved watching the reddish egrets hunt. If you weren't already in a great mood just from being in FL and photographing birds, watching these birds would be enough to cheer up any mood! I was fortunate to even be able to see the white morph reddish egret! wow! Does anyone have more images of that bird??

In this image, I like the green behind the egret's head providing nice contrasting color, but do you think the green blob on the right should be removed? I tried to remove it, and I made matters worse.

I like the pose of this egret, but the image looks too soft to me. I don't know how to fix that, if it is fixable. I used contrasting, curves, and unsharp mask on the egret's body. I cropped a little bit off the left. This was at 8:20 a.m.

would love to hear your comments.
Thank you

[Harold Davis]

hi cheryl, bird looks ok to me, just the head angle is little off. as far as the dark green blob in the right, i wouldnt remove, but i would try to lighten and desaturate it a little to blend with the other one. nice job with the exposure!! those birds are tough for me. soft light is the key i think!!

[Nicki Gwynn Jones]

Hi Cheryl, great bird and lovely pose - they are great, aren't they!! The image looks a little bright on my monitor could do with more detail in the wings. Agree with Harold that soft light is the key!

[Gus Cobos]

Hi Cheryl,
I like the capture and composition, you have good details in the wings, the head angle is a little off, and the image is a little too bright...good show, keep them coming...:D

[Lance Peters]

Nice bird - I would like a little more room at the bottom - little tight. and would probbaly also try and get rid of the green OOF area in the BG that goes diagonally across the neck area.
Does look a little brigth on my screen as well.

:)

[Oscar Zangroniz]

Excellent capture and composition.
Congrats

[Nonda Surratt]

Love the pose! Could maybe work on the eye to sharpen a bit more and see if you like it.

Really like this bird, super job Cheryl! HA and green blob covered,bird looks fine (lightness) on my monitor.

[Desmond Chan]

Does anyone have more images of that bird??

I wish I had.

In this image, I like the green behind the egret's head providing nice contrasting color, but do you think the green blob on the right should be removed? I tried to remove it, and I made matters worse.

Or you could de-saturate it, lighten it, blur it more.

I like the pose of this egret, but the image looks too soft to me. I don't know how to fix that, if it is fixable. I used contrasting, curves, and unsharp mask on the egret's body. I cropped a little bit off the left. This was at 8:20 a.m.

I think the light looks good. I don't find the image particularly too soft. I think it suits the light and the mood...in the morning. I think the bottom could use more room though.

[Alberto Oria]

Excellent Cheryl, Love it

[Alfred Forns]

Hi Cheryl

Excellent capture Sharpening wise you do have a very sharp head/eye so I would say it is fine as presented The green bg by the head could be avoided by lowering yourself a bit more We actually pay close attention to avoid those areas As presented I like the suggestion by Harold.

A couple of things I like a lot are the wing position, great sun angle, room between the head and wing, clear lower margin and great feel !!! ...... btw will post a morph later I think I need to post a snake first the go for the morpth .... have a ton of the little guy !!!! :)

[WIlliam Maroldo]

Cheryl: I've included a fight capture of a white morph I took about a month ago. Is this what you were looking for? ~onlybill

[Cheryl Flory]

they are wonderful birds. thanks, Bill. I have a couple images I like of this bird, but am having a difficult time knowing how to adjust them since they are a bit bright.