Yellow-crowned Night Heron

[Joe Brown]

5D, 300mm 2.8, 1.4TC
6.3, 1/80, ISO400, - 0.67EC
Cropped, selective sharpening and noise removal (BG), S/H, some minor removal of branch in BG
I took this shot some time ago at Brazos Bend SP Texas. Recent rework from RAW.
The BG may be a bit busy but I think it adds to the environmental aspect of the shot.
C&C welcome
Joe

[Myer Bornstein]

My only suggestion would remove the branches that appear to come out of the Heron's head. But other great shot

[Kaustubh Deshpande]

Joe, I liked the habitat. I think the bird and perch can use a round of sharpening. A little warming up can make it better IMO.

With a vertical crop, it would have been better if the bird had turned its head towards you a bit...as-is it is looking directly out of the frame with not much room there. With this head angle, I would have liked a horizontal crop....provided there wasn't anything very distracting on that side.

[Daniel Cadieux]

You got this guy in nice breeding plumage - I like plumes on the head. I agree about warming up the color temp, and I would crop a bit off the bottom as I feel there is a bit too much space down there. A better HA would have been great. Yes, the BG is busy, but for me its the dark patches (especially directly behind the bird) that I wish weren't there.

[James Salywoda]

I agree with Daniel sometimes better positioning isn't always easy and you get the shot to have it until something better comes around the bird and detail look good to me.:)