Western Grebe 2

[Robert Holguin]

Hello everyone. Here is another shot of the same grebe that I posted a little while back.
C&C welcomed and encouraged.
Nikon - 300s, Lense - Nikon 200-400 w/1.4 tc, Exposure - 1/640, Aperture - F8, ISO - 250, Focal Length - 840mm, Metering - Multi Segment, Manual.

[Stu Bowie]

Hi Robert, the Grebe certainly has his eyes trained on something. The low angle works well, and I like the smoothness of the water. I would maybe selectively sharpen his head. Comp wise, although just a personal thing, I would try a vertical to get away from the squarish crop.

[Dumay de Boulle]

Lovely light and I like the red eye. Edges of the bird look odd not sure what has been done? Does look a little soft and maybe a 1/3rd of a stop underexposed... I like Stu's advice on the crop!

[Doug Brown]

Really like your sharpness Robert. I have a couple of thoughts on the image. Like Dumay, I think it could go about 1/3 brighter, as your whites are looking a little gray. I see some smearing of the edges of the bird, perhaps due to some blurring of the BG. I'd crop most of the neck off the bottom of the frame. And I wish the bird's head had been turned slightly towards up.

[Randy Stout]

Robert:

Good advice above. I would go back over my masking so that the birds edges look cleaner, crop a small amount from top and bottom.

I find the head angle effective for me, the bird is obviously looking at something out of the frame, yet to my eye the head is ever so slightly our way.


Cheers

Randy

[Jonathan Ashton]

Nice shot, I would be tempted to crop a little from the bottom. Already mentioned but the head, particularly the bill look a little less than crisp.