Ardea Alba

[Mirenchu Fernandez]

Thanks in advance for your comments and suggestions.
Nikon D90; Aperture Priority; 1/4000 sec; f/7.1; ISO 800; Focal Lenght 420mm.

[Gus Cobos]

Hi Lady Mirenchu,
I like the composition and action captured...you have good feather details. The bad guy here is the harsh light angle illuminating your subject from his right back side thus casting a prominent neck shadow. Its best to have the sun at your back for even lighting of the subject. Even though half of the bird is in light and half is in shadow, I kind of like the mood it creates. I would have liked to have seen more of the eye...lets just say that you captured him doing his personal grooming routine. I like the dark background, showcasing your subject quite well. Your whites are running on the hot side, over 255. You did quite well considering the harsh lighting conditions, looking forward to your next one...:cool:

[Anita Rakestraw]

Mirenchu, I like the half light, half shadow of your image (except for that one blown out area.) Would have been nice for the head/face to have been lit, but it's still an interesting image - a little different!

[Lance Peters]

Hi - agree with Gus on this one - keep experimenting - some flash at 1/1 maybe to overpower the shadows???
Good Show :)

[Craig Markham]

Mirenchu, I love this image as presented. You captured the full gamut of the natural light tones from the almost blinding back to the subtle shadow along the breast. I doubt that my own eyes would have been able to see more detail in the back than is visible in this image. The bird's back served as a nice reflector to highlight the underside of the neck.

You captured a lovely moment of action in this bird's grooming behavior. The complex curves of the head, neck and back in the natural, oblique light, the dark BG, the capture of behavior, and your well-crafted framing made this much more than merely a nice specimen shot. I think that fill flash would have flattened the image and taken some of the life out of it.

I could use a little of that brilliant Florida light -- here in Oregon, it's pouring rain, and the days are dark and short for now.

-- Craig

[Alfred Forns]

I also like the light very much as presented, its just a mater of taste. Would have liked the head of the bird parallel with the film plane, does make a difference. When making these preening images I do wait for that head to be parallel !!!

Love what your doing with your images, the moody light carries right over from your flowers !!! Great eye !!!!

[Oscar Zangroniz]

Great behavior capture Mirenchu. Agree with Gus on the whites.
Was fun seeing you Sunday.