Sunrise Framing Options

[Arthur Morris]

This Great Blue Heron was photographed at Merritt Island NWR this morning with the Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS lens (at 120mm) with the EOS 1D MIII. ISO 200. Evaluative metering +1/3 stop: 1.3 seconds at f/6.3. Gitzo 3530 LS tirpod and the Mongoose M3.5.

I always use the RGB histogram for sunrises to ensure avoding blowing out the red channel. That goes for double when I create the images at 7000 Kelvin.

See the next panel for a different framing option.

I would liked to have been a bit higher to better separate the mangroves from the darker BKGR areas but I was as high as possible.

Don't be shy; all comments welcome. I am here to learn too.

[Arthur Morris]

This is the same bird in the same position a minute or two later. Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens with the EOS-1D MIII. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1 stop: 1/6 sec. at f/5.6 in Av Mode. Gitzo CF 3530 and the Mongoose M3.5.

The 800 features a new 4-stop Image Stabilization system that is proving to be hard to believe. See the Osprey image in BAA Bulletin #283 here: http://www.birdsasart.com/bn283.htm. The Osprey image was also created at 1/6 sec. That one blew me away but now I am beginning to expect making sharp images at 1/6 sec.

[Arthur Morris]

Great feel to this image and fantastic colours. The thing that puzzled me was oof grass at the same level (distance) as the heron.

Thanks Peter. The oof grass is actually the reflection of the clouds, thus the softness. I did selectively sharpen the cloud reflections but did not want to overdo it.

[Ramon M. Casares]

I love the mood on this noe Arthur! Colours and sharpness are outstanding, simply beautifull shot, I am not crazy about the horizon in the middle of the frame, but for where the Heron is posed and the clouds in the sky, I can see why this was the best comp choice. Congratulations for a really wonderfull image!

Ps: Peter, I think that the OOF "grass" is the reflection of the clouds in the sky.

[Axel Hildebrandt]

Great composition, reflection, mood and light. I also like the second image but there are some artifacts at the top.

[Ramon M. Casares]

That second one with the 800mm is just stunning! Great colours, comp and again, mood! Congratulaitons Arthur!

[Doug Brown]

The Osprey image was also created at 1/6 sec. That one blew me away but now I am beginning to expect making sharp images at 1/6 sec.

The osprey was even more impressive than you give it credit for; it was shot at 1/3 of a second, not 1/6.

[Arthur Morris]

Great composition, reflection, mood and light. I also like the second image but there are some artifacts at the top.

Thanks Axel. There was artifacting in the master file so I fixed it. You have a good eye for that sort of stuff in addition to having a plain old good eye.

[joel quenneville]

I love your silhouettes and the colors in the sky. In this case, I think that a pano crop strengthens the composition. Does anybody have thoughts about this?

[Dave Mills]

Hey Joel....I like the fact that you took the tree line off center and cropped off some of the top and bottom. Compositionally I like it better.

[Fabs Forns]

Although the original has many elements to make attractive, I'm not too fond of it, mainly because of the trees being so close to the tree line and then the clouds reflection distracting from the bird.
To get in the spirit of re-posting :) this would be my contribution.

[John Blumenkamp]

I like both of these Artie, with the second being my favorite. The first has a great expansive feel to it... I agree with your thoughts that a slightly higher angle would've been nice to gain some separation of the trees. I think moving the horizon off center with a crop of some kind may work.

Love the second one... clean, simple composition, but lots of impact at the same time.

[Arthur Morris]

Thanks all. I like both of the reposts.

[Ákos Lumnitzer]

Hey Artie

I am not fussed about the first image to be honest. Hope you don't mind. But the one taken with the 800 - now that is simply out of this world! Those gorgeous colors and the silhouette work fabulously together! :)

[Arthur Morris]

No problema Akos. I like them both but also like the tight one better. Still not sure about the trip Down Under...

[Raymond Barlow]

wonderful image Artie, I like the pano crops and the heron really gives this amazing scene some interest.

[Art Kornienko]

Both are very nice but I too like the second one better, it has more of a capturing effect, and it's one of those rare photos that if you rotated it 180 degrees, it would look just as good. Wow, 1/6th of a second like you say is really something for that level of sharpness.

[Kris Mortensen]

Great shot! Love the colors. Very sharp contrast. Diggin it!