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Thread: Squacco Heron

  1. #1
    BPN Member Morkel Erasmus's Avatar
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    Default Squacco Heron

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    Shot with Hendri Venter today, and captured this 'SQUACCO HERON' (sorry for the wrong ID, someone corrected me) this morning at a birding spot about 80kms from my home (today is a public holiday in South Africa).

    This is my first decent shot of this normally VERY shy and reclusive character - and also the first where I'm not just seeing its eye through a bunch of reeds.

    Techs:
    Canon 40D (loaned, thanks Hendri) with 100-400mm L IS USM @ 310mm
    f5.6 @ 1/500 SS @ ISO-400
    Exp +0.3

    This is full frame - no cropping applied! Also applied a burn layer to the highlights and reverse S-curve and local contrast enhancement to pull detail from the shadowed body. Increased blacks to make the white bird pop a bit more. Other than that - just sharpening upon resize.

    Decided to use a frame - something I used to do a lot but not that much nowadays - felt it suited the colours in this shot.

    Also - let me be the first to say I wish the head was turned slightly more towards me. In fact, I have a few where the bird made better eye contact, but without the sweet rim lighting and ruffling of the feathers.

    Now, except for the HA police, let me have it... :)
    Last edited by Morkel Erasmus; 09-24-2009 at 01:06 PM.
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  2. #2
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    Ruffled feathers and rim lighting for me
    HA & BG not very ideal , lovely details & sharpness
    TFS

  3. #3
    Forum Participant Michael Zajac's Avatar
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    Morkel, I like the inclusion of the environment-but it's a bit busy. I might remove the one green grass intersecting his face. The ruffled feathers and backliting look nice. It's a tight crop esp. top and bottom.

  4. #4
    Axel Hildebrandt
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    I like the pose, ruffled plumage and eye contact, a better light angle would have made it even stronger.

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    Lifetime Member Stu Bowie's Avatar
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    Looks like you had a productive morning at Marievale mate. Lovely backlighting effect, especially through the crest. The surrounding dont distract, but the blade of grass just below the beak does. Congrats on your first of this guy.

  6. #6
    BPN Member Morkel Erasmus's Avatar
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    thanks for viewing and commenting guys!
    Stu - it was actually a quiet morning...:(

    I have now realised that my ID is incorrect and it is in fact a Squacco Heron, not a Little Bittern :)
    Sorry about that...
    Morkel Erasmus

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    Morkel I love the backlighting and the bird is pin sharp. Eye contact seems fine to me. Great that it is full frame too!

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    BPN Member Tony Whitehead's Avatar
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    I like the back lighting highlighting the ruffled plumage and especially like the texture of the crest and breast plumage pattern mirrored by the burnt winter grass. Agree on dealing with the pale green strand. I was at Marievale exactly a year ago and was impressed with the Squaccos http://www.birdphotographers.net/for...&pictureid=265
    Saw a little Bittern but not well enough for a photo.
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    Visit my blog at WildLight Photography for latest news and images.

  9. #9
    Ákos Lumnitzer
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    this is great bro! I love the backlighting and have no issues with business of BG. That's where this bird lives and you portrayed it too well. Congrats! flying fluff a nice touch!

  10. #10
    IOTY Winner 2008 Chris van Rooyen's Avatar
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    The effect of the backlight worked really well for me here:-) I would consider removing some of the dark vertical lines in the background.

  11. #11
    BPN Member Morkel Erasmus's Avatar
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    thanks a lot for viewing and commenting Chris, Vida, Akos & Tony!

    @ Chris - thanks I will surely attempt that
    @ Tony & Stu - will attempt to remove the green strand too...
    Morkel Erasmus

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  12. #12
    BPN Member Morkel Erasmus's Avatar
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    here is a repost with the green grass under beak cloned out as well as the black sticks in the BG.
    with this BG cloning was no easy task. I used smudging and selective blurring to discard evidence :)
    Morkel Erasmus

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