Results 1 to 7 of 7

Thread: Lava Heron stalking

  1. #1
    BPN Member Bill Dix's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    Princeton, NJ
    Posts
    12,487
    Threads
    1,892
    Thank You Posts

    Default Lava Heron stalking

    Attached Images Attached Images
     
    D90; 80-400VR @ 240mm. ISO 400. f/7.1, 1/640s. Matrix metering @ -0.3 EV. HH. 81% of original size.

    Captured several weeks ago on North Seymour Island, Galapagos. I gather that the birding community is split as to whether this is a separate species endemic to the Galapagos, or a sub-species of the Striated Heron. Very similar to the Green-backed Heron posted by others in the last few days. BG was very distracting here, so I have applied a bit of Gaussian blur and desaturation while trying to maintain some sense of habitat and realism. C&C encouraged and appreciated.

  2. #2
    BPN Member Tony Whitehead's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    New Zealand
    Posts
    3,972
    Threads
    142
    Thank You Posts
    Blog Entries
    3

    Default

    Nice to see this, Bill. Very different plumage but same body shape. I like the raised foot and the shadow in the BG framing the front of the bird.
    Tony Whitehead
    Visit my blog at WildLight Photography for latest news and images.

  3. #3
    Super Moderator Daniel Cadieux's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Ottawa, Canada
    Posts
    26,266
    Threads
    3,976
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Good job on the blur as it does not look overdone. I like the "perch", quite different for this type of bird! Nice raised foot. Could be my monitor, but the eye's pupil is a bit jagged as posted perhaps due to a bit of oversharpening. Also wish for a better HA.

  4. #4
    BPN Member Bill Dix's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    Princeton, NJ
    Posts
    12,487
    Threads
    1,892
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Thank you Tony and Daniel. I know the HA is less than perfect - almost parallel to the sensor but not quite; he was preoccupied and didn't accede to my request for a slight head turn. I tried not to oversharpen here, but it's possible I hit the eye one click too often. Thanks for looking. I appreciate the comments.

  5. #5
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Portland, Oregon
    Posts
    1,881
    Threads
    192
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Hi Bill, I am impressed with your excellent work blurring the BG as it looks very natural. Love the raised foot and wish the head were angled just a bit more toward us.

  6. #6
    Ákos Lumnitzer
    Guest

    Default

    As soon as I looked at the BG I knew you did something even without reading the OP - it was obvious. I would probably have left it without blurring if it were mine, I don't think it's easy to maintain a blended area with the BG so "busy" and make it "believable". Nice try though. :) I would have just as easily accepted BG as was because it shows the habitat. HA is not important in this case I think, looks good and love the raised foot. Congrats! :)

  7. #7
    Lifetime Member Stu Bowie's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    Centurion, South Africa
    Posts
    21,360
    Threads
    1,435
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Good detail Bill, and I like the alert pose. Well timed to get the raised foot, and good job on the BG.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Web Analytics