American Bittern

[Bill Dix]

Assateague Island last week on a somber afternoon. Came around a bend in the channel, and my kayak bottomed out on the mud at low tide, just as I saw this guy and he saw me. Got off one shot before he took off up-channel where I couldn't follow. I had the zoom opened up a bit, hoping to get a Yellowlegs in flight, when I saw him. Wish I had zoomed in tighter, and wish I had caught him in flight. But then, I'm glad just to have seen him -- only the second Bittern shot I've captured. Large crop compromised the IQ.

D7000 | 80-400 VR @ 260mm | ISO 1250 | 1/1000s @ f/7.1 | +0.7 EV

[Arthur Morris]

Love the pose and the image design. And the SH. Could go a bit lighter overall. The white rock (???) below the feet has to go :).

[Don Lacy]

Hi Bill, I very hard bird just to find let alone get an image of, you caught him in the classic Bittern pose. I think you could use just a tad bit more contrast and if you are okay with cloning removed the rock at his feet.

[Tom Rambaut]

Like the pose and a real sense of a bird in its environment.

[Kaustubh Deshpande]

Bill, at this size, the IQ does not look like it is compromised. considering the ISO and the fact that it is a crop, that is quite incredible.

excellent shot....the low angle makes a big difference. loved the habitat and the pose. very sharp. agree with Artie that it can go a bit lighter...1/3d stop perhaps.

[dankearl]

I am just amazed you got a good photo of one and it is a really nice photo.
I like the habitat a lot and it doesn't look dark on my monitor.
These guys flee so quickly when I see them, I never get any kind of shot.
Nice PP also, it looks fine for iso 1250

[Bill Dix]

Thank you all for your helpful and supportive comments. Took me awhile to get back to it, but here's a repost with a few tweaks: removed the rock; brightened the bird maybe 10%; knocked down the highlights in the grass a tiny bit; eked out just a bit more detail on the Bittern. I appreciate the help.

[Jim Crosswell]

Nice image Bill! I like the setting and pose. The repost looks great.