Goliath Heron

[Ken Watkins]

This is the same bird as I posted earlier in the week, as we got closer it took off away from the camera, but I got this would be interested in what you think.

Taken on the shore of Lake Kariba, Matusadona National Park, Zimbabwe 20th September 2011

EOS 1DMkIV

500mm F4 IS hand-held from drifting boat

F7.1, ISO 400, 1/200 (I know I should have opened up more!)

[Ofer Levy]

Light, colours and techs look good to me. The fact that the bird is flying away from you weakens this image for me.

[Ken Watkins]

Ofer,

The bird turned away after this take-off shot.

[Bill Dix]

Love the umbrella-like wing position, the detail, the BG, the legs dangling down. Too bad he wasn't angled just a bit more toward you.

[Angad Achappa]

The angles not too bad for me, everything else seems perfect.

[Stu Bowie]

Ken, excellent sharpness for your ss, and I do like the wing position. Nicely separated from the BG, and maybe a bit tight LRC.

[Marina Scarr]

The fact that he is turned away weakens the image a little, but it is still pretty darn good. The colors are of the bird go so well with the BG; the flight pose is very strong, and you can really get a great view of the wing. This is a keeper for me.

[Ken Watkins]

Thanks everybody, I wondered what the reactions would be, probably I needed to take the shot a second earlier, just checked all my raws and I did not get it

[Brendon Cremer]

Ken the heron flying away very slightly is not a biggie, the colour, clarity and lovely detail and bg make this image, very well captured for 1/200 sec