American Bittern

[Tim Kuhn]

Caught this guy trying to hide. I managed a few shots before he ducked down too far to photograph.
Overcast sky, bushhawk held.
5D
300L f4
1.4 tc
iso 400
1/500
f 7.1

Thanks for looking.

[Fabs Forns]

Great peek-ah-booh effect except tor the twig intersecting his bill. If it is OK with your ethics, I would get rid of it. Very nice otherwise. That's their habitat ;)

[Judy Lynn Malloch]

Lovely capture of this elusive bird and I agree with Fab's suggestion. Really like the composition of this one. Thanks for sharing Tim !

[John Cooper]

This image illustrates very well the secretive and timid nature of this species - if they are anything like the Australian Bitterns!! The soft light from the overcast sky has worked very well.

[Tim Kuhn]

Thanks all, I know that is distracting and there are pros and cons to removing the bill intersecter. I think I will remove it to print but..... that is not my style. I do think that would make it a "better" photo.

Tim

[Jim Poor]

Great image. It has a nice mood to it. I find the BG/FG to be a compliment to that mood.

Still, I'd be tempted to burn the edges a little darker to keep the light on the subject.

Just because I'm like a kid with a new toy concerning this technique, I'd also play with the saturation and lightness of the eye.

[Daniel Cadieux]

I like the setting very much, only the intersection twig is distracting (and the bright one running across the neck, to a lesser extent). Wish I could get anything this good with this extremely skittish species - at least in my neck of the woods!

[Tim Kuhn]

Jim, I think I will try your advice of darkening the edges and toying the saturation. Thanks

Daniel, these guys are pretty skittish in my neck of the woods. I consider myself lucky to have gotten so close to this one.

[Linda Robbins]

Great job of photographing this elusive bird. I like the shy feeling captured here. I like Jim's suggestions of some eye work, and burning the edges.