Black-Headed Heron Wingspread

[Morkel Erasmus]

Created this image a week or two ago in the town where I live. Mining and industrial pollution in the area creates heavy noise problems in soft light, even at ISO 200...which is why I'm so pleased with this image.

techs:
Canon 1000D with 100-400 L IS USM
f5.0 @ 1/1250 SS @ ISO 400
EXP +0.3, partial metering

[Kobus Tollig]

Great pose and comp well done. Maybe just a bit dark.

[Ákos Lumnitzer]

I like it as is Morkel. Awesome wingspread. The head looks a touch soft though, is it? Hard to tell on an image this small!
Thanks for sharing mate. :)

[Morkel Erasmus]

thanks Kobus & Akos...head is fine on the large file...

[Axel Hildebrandt]

I like the light, wing position and details. The BG looks good, too, I hope that is a cloud and not pollution. :) I might lighten the areas near the wing tip that are not sunlit a little.

[Morkel Erasmus]

haha Axel no that's a cloud. what it consists of is any environmental scientist's guess ;)
to me the fact that both wings have a similar area that is shadowed creates a weird bit of symmetry that adds to the pose? anyone agree?

[Steve Canuel]

Nice angle on that bird. I too like the dark shadowed wing tips.

[Stu Bowie]

Wonderful wingspread Morkie, and I like warm light, together with the underwing detail. Good job on the eye, and always great to have clouds in the BG. Well captured.

[Morkel Erasmus]

thanks a lot Stu & Steve :)

[Arthur Morris]

Mork, You are getting better. Love the spread wings. Was this a VERT original? To me it looks as if the eye could use a bit of work--lightening the iris and possibly darkening the pupil would improve the apparent sharpness.

[Morkel Erasmus]

thanks Artie, appreciate the compliment. :)
no rotation done here - as shot, about 70% of the original image. I will work on that eye sometime today...