Pied Heron

[Christopher C.M. Cooke]

Captured on Canon 30D, 300mm F4 IS + 1.4X con (420mm) 1/1000 sec, F/5.6, ISO-640, - 0.3 step.

http://birdphotographers.net/forums/...1&d=1203368634

[Arthur Morris]

Good exposure but needs lots of sharpening on the face. Big time noise. With a shutter speed of 1/1000 sec. you could have easily cut the ISO in half. You made somewhat of a mess of the lrhc...

later and love, artie

ps: Way-cool bird!

[Christopher C.M. Cooke]

Thanks Artie, I will revisit the RAW image.:)

[Axel Hildebrandt]

Interesting looking bird. I hope you will get a chance to get an image with clean BG sometime. It would have been nice if the head would have faced more towards you. Artie covered the other issues.

[Christopher C.M. Cooke]

Yes Axel I prefer this image but the background is VERY busy and as Artie pointed out I could have dropped the ISO to 100-200, I hope to grab these two Herons this coming weekend using my 135 F2 with low ISO and at F2 hopefully good Bokeh for the BG.

[John Cooper]

Hi Chris - I've been after the Pied Heron for some time - where did you get onto this one?
I think the experts have covered all the issues here!!!!

[Christopher C.M. Cooke]

John I caught up with this little chap and his mate at the Healsville Sanctuary which is a natural bushland sanctuary where most of the bird life comes and goes as they please.

This chap caught me unawares as I had the camera setup for an entirely different situation and could have got away with ISO 100 and a shutter speed of 1/250 sec but they were only visible for a short while and panic took over from common sense, it won't happen this coming weekend.

If you are ever down this way I will take you up there as I know most of the rangers well.

I have not been there for a while because my injuries make walking distances a problem but I threw caution to the wind and walked with my wife for three hours through the bush ( and did not sleep for two nights owing to the pain)

My Doctor has given me some big painkillers as as he said I am not doing any more damage to the joint and if I can cope with the pain I can go ahead and walk as much as I can take, so I will.