Great Blue Heron In-Flight

[Gary Dumer]

The BG is a evening sunset reflecting off a wing dam and is only available for about 15 minutes per clear evening.


40D, 700mm, ISO 400, F6.3, Exp 0.0
PP 75% Crop and Slight rotation , Curves and modest USM after Resizing

[Bob Malbon]

Gary, One of your best! I would like a bit more BG around the bird, to me this type of mood capture is stronger with it.
This is a stunner!!! Bob Malbon (POTN)

[John Zimmerman]

Gary, this is one of the nicest in flight photographs of this bird that I personally have seen. The wing detail is awesome. If I had to pick on anything it would be that blue/gray on the lower right side of the BG. Congratulations on this fantastic capture.

[Peter Hawrylyshyn]

gary -
an excellent BIF image - great colors and sharpness
i think it would look better with about a 15 degree CW rotation to straighten the dark/horizon line, but this will mean adding/extending to the canvas
i'm OK with the dark line cutting thru the heron (as i assume you had no choice), but again I think it might have better if the dark line was lower in the canvas - you just need a more co-operative bird next time
very nice work

[Judd Patterson]

Gary that background lighting and the very sharp bird through flash really create a winning combination. Wow! I have a nagging wish that the division between the two gorgeous oranges was just a bit subtler, but this is a very nice image that you should be very proud of...it's among the best heron flight shots I've ever seen. I like the unusual angle as well, and don't think it would be quite as strong if it were leveled (the diagonal in the wings works well).

[Axel Hildebrandt]

Great top view, details and light. I agree with Judd regarding the dark line.

[Caroline Darmo]

Love the sharpness, composition & the killer background colors that really complement the bird. Dark line going through the bird is slightly distracting. A very unique image, well done!

[Alfred Forns]

What great fifteen minutes Gary Hope you work that area often I love this image Agree with Judd on the transition One fine image !!!!

[Arthur Morris]

Quite exquisite and exquisitely sharp. Did you use flash? I like the unusual presentation but the horizon line bisecting the bird is less then ideal (and this would be true rotated or not). Actually, it works better as presented than it would leveled.

later and love, artie

[Gary Dumer]

Thank You All for your warm comments

I appreciate them coming from the Talented Photog's in this forum

[Linda Robbins]

Wow, this is just beautiful. The top view and sharp details are so lovely against that beautiful orange bg. I don't think the blue/gray is a distraction at all. I think that some careful PS work could soften the darker band in the bg.

[Del Cockroft]

Apart from the beautifully exposed and sharp bird, the BG is absolutely outstanding. A great capture.

[Gary Dumer]

I wish to Express my humble thanks for your input and I value the advice!!!

[Arthur Morris]

YAW. Did you use flash? It would seem that you had to have...

later and love, artie

[Gary Dumer]

YAW. Did you use flash? It would seem that you had to have...

later and love, artie

No Artie

I did not use Flash, The sunset was over my Right Shoulder and the Shadow under the left wing shows it. There is also a reddish tint to the Cheek and behind eye from the low sun!!

Thanks for the Question!!

[Chris van Rooyen]

Hi Gary, great to see you on the forum. All has been said about this image, an exceptional work of art!

[Gary Dumer]

Hi Gary, great to see you on the forum. All has been said about this image, an exceptional work of art!

Hey Chris, Great to see you here, You are a Idol in my book!!!

[Mike Tracy]

The dark line does bug me a bit because it's intersecting him right down the middle. If you throw that out and just study the bird itself it's as fine example of the coloration and types of feathers displayed on a great blue.