Squacco Heron

[Gyorgy Szimuly]

Canon EOS-1D MarkIIN l Canon EF 600mm f4 L IS USM
handheld (and knee-held) from boat

This was taken during my unforgettable birding and photo trip to the Danube Delta, Romania one and half a year back. The place is just awesome both for nature enthusiasts and bird photographers with awesome number of possibilities. I will post a few words about Europe's most beautiful site in my blog this weekend. More images of this heron and other species is in my new gallery.

Szimi

[Ofer Levy]

Gorgeous shot mate!!! Awesome pose, low shooting angle, perfect exposure control - great work. Here is a repost with some levels, reducing yellow a bit and boosting contrast - how does it look?

[Stephen Stephen]

Smizi I really like the original and Ofer has done some nice colour adjustment to make it even better. Nice raised wings. low angle and head turn. This bird must be quite small if the yellow water lilies in Romania are the same size as ours here in North America.

[Judy Lynn Malloch]

Absolutely an awesome pose and wonderful timing to capture this. Just enough of a head turn to capture the eye and well exposed. congratulations on a fine image Gyorgy.

[Gyorgy Szimuly]

Here is a repost with some levels, reducing yellow a bit and boosting contrast - how does it look?

Well, it is ok but I wanted to keep the original light conditions with the fear of having some yellow cast as the image was taken early in the morning after the Sun was over the horizon.

Szimi

[Steve Maxson]

Very cool pose and I really like the soft light, Gyorgy. Good sharpness, comp, and exposure. Well done.

[Ofer Levy]

Well, it is ok but I wanted to keep the original light conditions with the fear of having some yellow cast as the image was taken early in the morning after the Sun was over the horizon.

Szimi

No worries. I believe the repost still keeps the early morning light conditions just with slightly less yellowish cast. How can anyone tell what were the "original light conditions" ? I can't do it and don't think anyone can say exactly how the light was in certain conditions. We can guess but not more. Also keep in mind that as most of us use the AWB - the camera often gets is slightly wrong and the yellowish or reddish cast shouldn't really be there.
Having said that - this is all really very subtle and open to personal interpretation.;)

[Gyorgy Szimuly]

Also keep in mind that as most of us use the AWB - the camera often gets is slightly wrong and the yellowish or reddish cast shouldn't really be there.

Yes, true. I have also used AWB and I only rarely modify values during processing. :)

Szimi