Green heron at sunset

[Kaustubh Deshpande]

40D. 300 f/4 non-s and 1.4x. iso 640. f/5.6. 1/400. some curves work to reduce the contrast. NR on BG. USM on bird.

This was not an easy shot to get. The heron was inside a canal. Fortunately the water had dried up some and I did get a dry patch to lie down. The foliage was thick but the setting sun's rays made their way on to the bird. He allowed me to sneak up pretty close. There was nothing I could do about light on the canal wall in the BG.

Does the head angle bother you? anything towards me would have put his face in the shadow.

All comments welcome.

[Manos Papadomanolakis]

nice looking bird with beautiful pose,colors...wish for a bit more head turn

[Daniel Cadieux]

Nice low angle, good vertical comp - but perhaps a bit tight at right. I'm OK with the BG, but would tone down the dark blotch and darken the lighter one (both above the head). Yes, HA is not optimal. Angled looking towards you may have put the face in shadow...but how about parallel as the body parts facing us are nicely lit?

P.S. I would have also applied NR on the focussed part of the water...

[Kaustubh Deshpande]

Daniel, Thx a lot. I missed NR on the water there. It is definitely looking wierd. I could not make myself parallel to the bird as I was in a very tight spot there.

[David Fletcher]

Lovely feel with good details. A tiny bit more head turn would be nice and like suggestions on the water.

[Judy Lynn Malloch]

Kaustubh I like the low angle and the composition of this image. Daniel has pretty much covered it all. Many thanks for sharing.

[Joe Senzatimore]

A little head turn or not , I still say WOW!!!!!

[Juan Carlos Vindas]

I like the light and clarity in this one. I agree about the head angle.

[Malcolm Benn]

Like the image and the light .. might darken the pupil a bit and clean up the stuff in the water under the tail feathers.

[Stu Bowie]

Good detail and colours KD, and the low angle works well. I agree being a tad tight on the RHS, and slightly better HA would have been first prize. Killer BG.