Yawning Heron

[Scott Frye]

Green Heron at Gilbert Water Ranch (Gilbert, Arizona)

This is a picture from the same series as my last post. Instead of a repost of that photo, I put the changes into another photo of the same series. Thanks to Fabs and Akos, I paid special attention to: 1) noise reduction, 2) less sharpening, 3) darken the perch, and 4) a little more color.

I think that the half-closed eye is a direct result of the yawning.

1/1000 at f10 and ISO 400 EC -2/3
Bigma at 500m
Canon 40D

[Daniel Cadieux]

What a demonic pose!! Sharpness-wise I would go stronger (but not as much as your previous). You did take care of the noise in the BG quite adequately. The perch does have a "worked-on in PS" look to it, especially the top half of it - a bit too smoothed out, and there is an odd line running across the very top of it.

[Ed Cordes]

I like the image. The behavior is cool in that it shows that all species close their eyes when yawning. Yes, it could be a bit sharper.

[Fabs Forns]

Much better colors and good moment to get. A bit more sharpening as noted and I love that tongue!

[Kobus Tollig]

Great exposure moment and sharpness. I would have liked the eye more open but still well done. Great bg 2