Western Grebe - looking back

[Kerry Perkins]

Captured at Cachuma Lake, California, from a boat. I know the convention is to have the bird coming toward the camera, and wondered if this shot works with the look back. I like the overall image and wondered what you might think.

Shot at noon with bright sun out on the lake. Converted with LR2 and finished in CS4. NR applied to background, sharpening to bird.

50D, EF400mm f/5.6L
Manual mode, f/5.6@1/2000 ISO 200 WB 5100K
AI Servo autofocus, hand-held no flash

[Julie Brown]

Kerry, I like the composition and the colors. Good eye contact, and the bird stands out nicely against the BG.

[OvidiuCavasdan]

I do like the picture and the back look. Nice water color too. I think you did well in bright sun. Just thinking about less foreground and more bg, but dont know if this was possible.

[Lance Peters]

Hi Kerry - IMHO - the look back is its saviour :) Different but I quite like it.
Good clear sharp eye and exposure looks good.
might just run some NR on the background.
:)

[Roy Churchill]

I am just a novice myself but I would say that for shooting at noon in bright sun you have done great with the exposure. I like these kind of back view poses and the eye is great. A very nice shot.

[Thanaboon Jearkjirm]

The look back pose works for me. Love the sharpness, the exposure, the details, the water ripple in the foreground and background. The background ripple do look like a drawing though, which I think is nice. Agree about more NR on the background.

[Jackie Schuknecht]

You did really well for a noon shot. Like the lookback and the red eye. Think the shot works Kerry. Did well with the exposure too.

[Jeff Cashdollar]

Nice image, might need NR on BG. Love the eye, look-back and the vert composition is perfect!

[Alfred Forns]

Real nice for a noon shot Kerry !!!

Look back is just fine for me and show the bird even more elegant !!! Amazed at how much shadow detail you were able to obtain and highlights have enough hint of detail to make them pleasing !!!