Great Blue

[Nonda Surratt]

This from Aug. Not often does one of these guys just sit so I had loads of fun playing with the light. Have one in 'good' or proper light but like back lit with all the little bugs and things glowing.:)
M111, 300f2.8+2xTC at f6.3, 1/400, ISO 400 manual

[Jackie Schuknecht]

Good exposure on the bird Nonda, I like all the refraction from the lens, but might take out the smaller white thingeys. I love all the habitat included. Well done.

[Anita Rakestraw]

Love the pose and exposure, Nonda! The backlighting is very appealing. I do think that a couple of the tiniest white specks are a bit distracting and I might just tone down the lightest spots in the lower section. Too bad that there was blurring foreground in the lower lefthand area; but overall, a lovely image!!

[Lance Peters]

Hi Nonda - Different but I do like it. Yes the white specular highlights in the BG do draw attention away from the main subject - but for me it gives it that special feeling also.
Id crop some of the negative space from the RHS.
Agree about the foreground in the lower left.
Good show :)

[Nonda Surratt]

Thanks on the crop suggestion Lance now that you said it seems obvious.

Jackie and Anita..Yea a couple smaller spots could go but just a couple;) Thanks for commenting

[Gus Cobos]

Hi Nonda,
I like it as presented. especially if this is the way you saw it in real time. I must admit, it is different from the conventional point of view, but it does have its charm...love it...good show...:cool:

[David Thomasson]

Nice capture, Nonda. I like the pose and that glowering look he seems to be giving somebody outside the frame ("You talkin' to me?").

I just tried this just for fun:

• A hue/sat adjustment layer to tone down the bright yellow/greens,
• S/H filter to bring out the bird a little more, and
• Topaz Detail to sharpen the bird

I left all the little glowing bugs and things because I like them, too. :p Good job.

[Gus Cobos]

The color and hue adjustment is superb David...this puts it over the top...well done...:cool:

[Nonda Surratt]

Like the adjustment David. Yes Gus that is as seen, quite cool in the right light since the whole wetlands looks like its filled with sparkles in the air, never seen anything quite like it.