Great Egrets Mating At Sunset

[Nicki Gwynn Jones]

Hi Everyone,
Thought that it was about time I hung out with my friends in ETL for a change :D
This was taken at Gatorland in February as the light was fading - and a big thank you to Mike who was so helpful that evening.
Pretty much as shot except that I painted out some foliage in the LLC. BG was dark water. Cropped for composition. The evening light seems to be more evident in the print that I made.
ID Mk3 300 2.8
ISO 400
F5.6 1/2000
Exp comp @ -1.33
HH
Look forward to your comments and critiques :)
Best regards to all,
Nicki

[BillTyler]

Great detail and color, and I love the black background. I'd really like to see both heads, but don't quite see how you could do that without shooting from the other side of the birds, and losing the light.

Bill

[Nicki Gwynn Jones]

Hi Bill and thank you for your kind words. Unfortunately no other shooting position was available - I'd have been in the lagoon with the crocs...:eek::D

[Lance Peters]

Hi Nicki - Exposure looks spot on - love the breeding plumage colours - Unconventional composition perphaps and whilst I agree that seeing the second birds face would have been good - Id take this also.
Like the black BG makes the white birds really POP - sweet light.
Looking forward to more ;)

[Myer Bornstein]

nice picture like the BG I have3 been there done that and you do not want to be in the water with the gators :D

[Dave Mills]

Hi Nicki, Lots of good things in this image...exposure,lighting and sharpness.I feel the image would have been much stronger without the backround bird.

[Jackie Schuknecht]

Know it wasn't possible Nick, but showing the other eye would have made it really good. IMO So hard to get the "perfect" shot.

[Bob Decker]

Sure is some nice detail in this shot. The position of the second bird doesn't bother too much

[arash_hazeghi]

Very beautiful breeding colors Nicki, love the details and great exposure. wish the 2nd bird wasn't there or the face was clear. TFS

[Nicki Gwynn Jones]

Hi Everyone and thank you all for your comments. I felt that the composition was strong enough without the second eye, as without the second bird the point of the picture is lost. It is the shape of the two necks that makes it for me. :) I'm trying for something a little different here...
Best,
Nicki

[Alfred Forns]

Hi Nicki I like the different here !!! Similar poses do well and a keeper in my book. Conventional would be to have both bird eyes visible !!!

.... now about getting to the other side with all those corcs ... just one word ... crocs better be careful of Nicki :D:)

[Nicki Gwynn Jones]

Hi Al,
You are right - those crocs ain't seen nothin' :eek::D
Glad you like the comp :)
Hugs,
Nicki

[Oscar Zangroniz]

Congrats Nicki. Love the capture. I actually like the composition as is, very different. Exposure, sharpness and BG are dead on.
You better start hanging out here again :) I actually better start doing the same.
See you

[Nicki Gwynn Jones]

Oscar! I'll hang out if you will :D:D
Great to hear from you and glad you like the comp :)
Best regards,
Nicki