Green Heron

[Ed Vatza]

Went back to the local mill race this evening and found five Green Herons there - three were up in trees and two were feeding in the mill race. I was pretty much as low as I could get on the bank of the mill race but that was still several feet above water level.

Canon 30D; Canon 300mm f/2.8L IS with Canon 2x TC; Natural light

1/400 sec @ f/8; ISO 640; -2/3 EV; Focal length 600mm (35mm equivalent is 960mm)

[Doug Brown]

It's tough when you want to get a lower angle but the lay of the land prevents it. I like the open bill and the baby feathers up top. I wish you had a little more head turn. Also it looks a tad oversharpened. Thanks for posting!

[Axel Hildebrandt]

You got some cooperative models there. I like the hairdo and light in this one. Adding to Doug's comments, I might tone down the highlights a bit.

[carole wiley]

Oh but for a lower angle. The baby feathers and the open bill are terrific. I agree with Axel about toning down the highlights.

[Ed Vatza]

Doug, Axel, Carole,

Thanks for the critiques. I will try to back off on the highlights. Its funny but as many times as I have walked along that mill race, it never seemed that far down from the bank until I laid down stretched out and looked out this these herons. Suddenly I felt like I was miles above and not just a few feet.

[Arthur Morris]

Three excellent critiques above. (Thanks guys and gal!). I would add that there is considerable work to be done on teh distracting stuff in the BKGR (if that fits with your personal ethics).

ps: I forgot to note that you did a good job working so far off light angle.