Fish Supper?

[Ken Watkins]

A Black Heron on the Lake Manze channel, Selous Game Reserve, Tanzania, 29th August 2010.

EOS 1D Mk IV

500mm F4 IS hand-held from drifting boat

F6.3, ISO 400, 1/2000, EV -0.33

[Scott Frye]

Love the action here and great detail in the blacks -- he really pops from the background. Looks to me like it might need a bit CCW straightening

[Randy Stout]

Ken:

Love the unique pose here, feather display is great.
I might do a very light burn on the lighter vegetation by his feet.

If the bill had been up just a bit to give a little more separation from the wings, it would have been even better.

Well captured!

Cheers

Randy

[allanrube]

Pose is terrific! Like the feathers sticking up on its head. As Randy said, if the head had been up just a tiny bit more it would be perfect.

I would just remove a few hot spots on the leaves, which add a lot in this shot.

[Arno Ellmer]

The feather detail ,timing and pose are superb.I like the eye contact and the catch is a bonus.I echo Randy's comments.Overall an excellent capture,Ken !

[Ken Watkins]

Thanks for all of the comments, my intention here was to get a shot shwing the opening up of the bird from its "umbrella" fishing position.

Given the comments about seperation I looked at later frames and came up with this the separation is larger but the position of the fish is IMHO not as good.

[john jackson]

Hi Ken

Much prefer your first post. It is so characteristic of the species. For those who don't know this heron, it fishes with its head hidden beneath the umbrella of its wings and so a lack of separation is (to me at least) entirely consistent with its behaviour. The plumes look great. For my taste I would like to see a bit more below the bird (if there was any more space in the image, of course). Thanks for bringing back great memories of watching this bird.

[Ken Watkins]

Hihm,

Thanks for the comment and the explanation of the bird's behaviour.