I Am Beautiful

[Troy Lim]

Hope you like it.

Exposure 0.001 sec (1/1600)
Aperture f/6.3
Focal Length 850 mm
ISO Speed 800
Exposure Bias +1/3 EV
Flash No Flash

[Craig Brelsford]

Hi Troy, I'm wondering what the species is. I appreciate your idea of the water as a mirror, the reflection from which the narcissistic bird admires, but I feel the joke would work better if there were nary a ripple in the water and the water lacked the greenish tint. But even perfectly still and clear water would not make up for the immediacy lost by the bird's not looking even somewhat toward the viewer.

[Mike Milicia]

I believe this is a Willet.

Beautiful light and water and excellent exposure but agree with Craig's assessment (except I don't mind the water being green).
Also looks like it could use a bit of CCW rotation.

[Troy Lim]

Hi Troy, I'm wondering what the species is. I appreciate your idea of the water as a mirror, the reflection from which the narcissistic bird admires, but I feel the joke would work better if there were nary a ripple in the water and the water lacked the greenish tint. But even perfectly still and clear water would not make up for the immediacy lost by the bird's not looking even somewhat toward the viewer.

Craig, I agree that the image would have been better if the bird was looking towards the viewer Only if that is the type of image you after.
I personally like the shot as is because it was more of a behavioral type of shot, in this case trying to catch a fish or something. It was concentrating on catching something and not posing for the camera.

[John Guastella]

Troy, I like your concept for this shot: a bird contemplating its own reflection in the water. In that type of image, the bird is not going to be looking at the viewer; it is going to be looking at itself!. However, there are two issues I have with this particular image: 1) Absence of a catchlight in the bird's eye; 2) Absence of the eye in the bird's reflection. Without these two features, the image loses some vitality. Still, a very nice capture with a superb BG. It does need some CCW, though...

John

[Troy Lim]

Troy, I like your concept for this shot: a bird contemplating its own reflection in the water. In that type of image, the bird is not going to be looking at the viewer; it is going to be looking at itself!. However, there are two issues I have with this particular image: 1) Absence of a catchlight in the bird's eye; 2) Absence of the eye in the bird's reflection. Without these two features, the image loses some vitality. Still, a very nice capture with a superb BG. It does need some CCW, though...

John

John, thanks for the tips. I will keep those two things in mind next time I go for this type of images.