Assignment - Light and Shadows. The Magician

[Nicki Gwynn Jones]

Hi Everyone!
It has been a while since I visited the ETL forum and I apologise that this assignment is late for class...:D
Have just returned from a flying visit to Florida where I found just what I was looking for - snowy egrets in a dark mangrove swamp with harsh light coming through at odd angles...:eek:
Here is one that I liked!
40D 300 f/2.8 + 2x
ISO 400
f/5.6 1/3200
Exp comp @ -1
Cropped a little from bottom and the usual minor adjustments in PS.
Really appreciate your comments and critiques - I have missed you guys!!!
Best regards to all,
Nicki

[Gus Cobos]

Hi Nicki,
Welcome home...:) I like the composition, image and the capture, the details and color rendition is spot on, I like the S shaped neck coming out of the dark abyss. My only recommendation would be to clone out the solitary traces of hair on the lower left side of the frame...aside from this, well done...nice having you back...:cool:

[Lance Peters]

Welcome back Nicky have missed seeing your creations. Different - Like it, Whites look spot on and the S curve of the neck is very nice.
Good show - hope to see more :)

[Jeff Cashdollar]

At first the image did not set well with my eye, it has grown on me a bit. I assume nothing clipped on the right?

Unique and shows the beauty of the Egrets body, for that you get an "A"'

[Nicki Gwynn Jones]

Hi Gus and Lance - thank you both for welcoming me back to the fold...:D:D
Jeff, no nothing clipped on the right but took a tad from the bottom.
Best,
Nicki

[Desmond Chan]

Like it. A good study of light and form.

Oh, and feathers, too :)

[Gail Spitler]

Nicki - as usual, this is an image from a fresh point of view, and very well exposed. The majority of the feathers are in sharp detail, so I am wondering if the upper part of the neck is a bit soft or is it the actual texture of the feathers there? We seem to lose detail as we get close to the head.
The adjectives striking and arresting come to mind.
Cheers
Gail

[Nicki Gwynn Jones]

Hi Desmond and Gail and thank you for your very kind words!
Gail, you are right that the upper part of the neck is a little soft. I had kept my aperture at 5.6 as there was very little light in the mangrove swamp and I was trying to keep my SS as high as possible. The bird was constantly moving around but I actually quite liked that it looked as if he was disappearing at speed into a dark mysterious place!
Best,
Nicki