First/Last Light - Egret pair

[Cheryl Slechta]

This was taken at the Alligator Farm rookery this spring. It wasn't really that late but the light looked that way to
me. I'm not sure if the bg bird image detracts?

Comments and suggestions welcome.:)

____________
Cheryl

Canon 30D
Canon 100-400L, f/5.6, 1/160, ISO 400,EV-.7

[James Boland]

I personally like the composition. You might consider taking some of the background off the top of the image. I like the back lighting highlighting the bird figure. You did a good job getting a smooth background. I'm not sure which alligator farm you visited but at Saint Augustine, finding these smooth backgrounds can be tough!. Good job.

Jim

[Cheryl Slechta]

James, it was St. Augustine but there are a couple of spots that I'm attracted to because of the bg. I agree
about the crop, I think it should be some off the top and the right side also. I'll repost a different look later.

Thanks,

Cheryl

[Gus Cobos]

Hi Cheryl,
I like this composition and image, I like the rim lighting and the out of focus bird in the background...a sweet image...I would recommend on opening up the area around the eye and selective sharpen it just ever so slightly, and crop 1/4 from the top...aside from this, I like it...good show...looking forward to your next one...:):cool:

[Desmond Chan]

I'm not sure if the bg bird image detracts?

I'd would like to see more separation between them in this photo, if you know what I mean (I know in real life one was farther away from the other).

____________
Cheryl

Canon 30D
Canon 100-400L, f/5.6, 1/160, ISO 400,EV-.7[/quote]

[Kerry Perkins]

Hi Cheryl. I understand what you were doing with this image, but my eye keeps moving down to the OOF bird in the background, which distracts from the closer bird. This is just my personal taste, but I feel it would be a much stronger image without the bird in the bg. The bird on the left is beautifully lit and exposed! More, please...

[Lance Peters]

Hi Cheryl - Like this a lot - IMHO the OOF bird in the BG does not bother me as much as the bright green area of branches in the BG near the birds bill = my attention goes straight there and not to the bird - can easily tone it down a bit.
Really like the translucent effect on the bill.
Looking forward to seeing more :)

[Alfred Forns]

Hi Cheryl I like the idea very much and does work Agree with suggestion on more space between the birds, if the bird in focus had his head up a bit all would fall into place.

Also use of fill flash does help in these situations, You need to be creative to come up with bg at the farm and you sure did !!!

[arash_hazeghi]

Hi Cheryl,
Nice eye contact and habitat shot, sharpness is pretty good and backlight is nice, I agree that the birds are too close. IMO the image is too dark (check the histogram) I did some curve adjustments and also blurred out the foreground brnaches, hope you like it.

[Cheryl Slechta]

Arash, I like it a lot better, thanks:)

_______
Cheryl