Gymnastics - The Bar

[Morkel Erasmus]

I really like this one because birds can just sometimes get themselves into the 'darndest' poses. This reed cormorant was stretching and preening and the next moment it looked like a gymnast about to backflip on a bar. The fog over the lake was just lifting.

Your comments/suggestions/crits will be appreciated!

Canon 1000D with 100-400mm L IS USM
f8.0 @ 1/400 SS @ ISO 400
EXP +0.7, Centre-weighted average

[Arthur Morris]

You had a good angle to the bird and the posture is unique. And I like the framing. Is the eye rof this species bright ed?

[Morkel Erasmus]

thanks Artie! yes it is - usually. this one just had his eyelid half-closed while in the pose (presumably stretching). in a perfect world the eye would have been wide open with catchlight, right? ;) I have many with the eyes open but in different poses.

[Arthur Morris]

When you have a bird with a brilliant red eye you need to show that b.r.e. if you wish to make a great image. Do you have any other frames that show the eye well?

[Morkel Erasmus]

Arthur - something like this?? :)

[Arthur Morris]

Sweet eye. It would be difficult to use the sweet eye in the original post for lots of reasons.....

[Morkel Erasmus]

I'm not following?

[Arthur Morris]

Thanks Peter! BTW, the spam filter on the blog is working perfectly! Thanks again a ton.

[Stu Bowie]

Comp works well Mork. Level perch, and with him stretching to the right, you nailed this one. A unique posture always draws a viewer away from the norm. Lovely Marievale BG colours as always.

[Morkel Erasmus]

Thanks! okay I understand...I might actually have an eye from the angle of the first shoot, will have to scan carefully through the images of that day.