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Thread: Juvenile Spoonbill portrait

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    Default Juvenile Spoonbill portrait

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    Alafia Banks with Capt. Shadle last week.
    There were lots of immature Spoonbills. Note the short bill, more pink color and black eye.
    1d4, 800mm, 1/1600 @ f/ 6.3, iso 800
    LR3, CS5, NIK
    Mike

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    BPN Member Alan Murphy's Avatar
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    Very nice pose and detail on this Juvi.
    Last edited by Arthur Morris; 05-25-2011 at 07:01 PM.

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    Mike, excellent pose and details. perfect DOF as well. exposure looks spot on to me.

    If you have in the orig, more room top and bottom will make it better. Bird a little to the right will also make a better composition. In terms of light striking the face, slightly less head turn would have been better...but then the bill shape would not have been seen so nicely.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Kaustubh Deshpande View Post
    Mike, excellent pose and details. perfect DOF as well. exposure looks spot on to me.

    If you have in the orig, more room top and bottom will make it better. Bird a little to the right will also make a better composition. In terms of light striking the face, slightly less head turn would have been better...but then the bill shape would not have been seen so nicely.
    +1
    Details are amazing...

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    Lovely pose and exposure.
    It seems that Captain Shadle presents his passengers with lots of great opportunities and you certainly made the most of this one Mike.

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    BPN Member Don Lacy's Avatar
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    Nice details and shooting angle agree with the others on more room on the top
    Don Lacy
    You don't take a photograph, you make it - Ansel Adams
    There are no rules for good photographs, there are only good photographs - Ansel Adams
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    Publisher Arthur Morris's Avatar
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    Mike. Sharp with a good exposure. Let me know if you wish to know all the facts.... The folks above have been far too gentle.
    BIRDS AS ART Blog: great info and lessons, lots of images with our legendary BAA educational Captions; we will not sell you junk. 30+ years of long lens experience/e-mail with gear questions.

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    Artie,
    Lay 'em on me. I can take it. :) Always looking for opportunities to improve.

    Here is more info: It is almost full frame. I removed an OOF bird in the upper left background with a couple of quick masks. I didn't think to add some canvas above and to the left, but with the above comments can see how it would improve the image.
    I actually like the light coming from the front left. It seemed to show off the beak which seems to be one of the defining features of a juvenile.
    The image was made at 7:30 am so the sun was up but still relatively low.
    Appreciate any improvements you might suggest.

    As an aside, a couple of months ago I brought the 600 and we were a lot further away. So, this time I brought the 800. As luck would have it we were a lot closer this time. Wish I had the 600....

    Mike

    PS: here are the gps coordinates, if you are interested: 27.84592667,-82.41817667

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    Publisher Arthur Morris's Avatar
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    OK Mike, here goes, the full nine yards. Aside from much too tight and a bit far forward in the frame: the line of the mangroves cutting through the neck is a distraction. The base of the bill and the gape are dirty. Either finding a cleaner subject or doing some clean-up work would make this nicer if that works for you. The pose is nice but the raised scaps with one badly out of place feather base are a negative as they are less than elegant. Though the stuff on the beach is the stuff on the beach I would have removed the two brown things right on the shadow as they draw attention to the shadow.... Head angle perfect and I am fine with the off angled light as you have the bird's head turned back towards it.

    Biggest way to solve a bunch of problems including the mangrove line and the crap on the beach: sit or kneel to get as low as possible. Takes guts and some body gymnastics--been there done that--but in that situation it is the way to go.

    Foroggie once had to rescue my when I sort of fell over backwards while seats and only stayed above water by grabbing onto my tripod so this method is not without peril. :).
    BIRDS AS ART Blog: great info and lessons, lots of images with our legendary BAA educational Captions; we will not sell you junk. 30+ years of long lens experience/e-mail with gear questions.

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    Artie,
    Thanks for the critique. I appreciate you taking the time to give me some tips.
    Mike

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    Publisher Arthur Morris's Avatar
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    Mike, You are welcome. Thanks for being open to serious improvement. :)
    BIRDS AS ART Blog: great info and lessons, lots of images with our legendary BAA educational Captions; we will not sell you junk. 30+ years of long lens experience/e-mail with gear questions.

    BIRDS AS ART Online Store: we will not sell you junk. 35 years of long lens experience. Please e-mail with gear questions.

    Check out the new SONY e-Guide and videos that I did with Patrick Sparkman here. Ten percent discount for BPN members,

    E-mail me at samandmayasgrandpa@att.net.










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