Theme: Great Blue Heron

[Grace Scalzo]

I like to look back through my files and see what was around same time, previous years. Tonight, I came across this Raw file which I knew held more potential that the way I treated it in 2007 when I captured the image. Nearly full frame, just trimmed a bit from the right.

1/1250, f8, iso400
Canon Mark 2n, 500 f4 + 1.4tc + tripod

[arash_hazeghi]

nice light and BG but I am not crazy about the pose and flat wing positions.

[Randy Stout]

Grace:

The clouds add a lot of depth to the image. Well exposed. It would be helpful to post the original 2007 version, and hear your comments on what you did differently this time around!

Thanks

Randy

[gail bisson]

Hi Grace,
The clouds in the BG and the sweet light make this image. The pose is really different and I like it and the diagonal line it creates.
Gail

[Grace Scalzo]

Thank you Gail. That is what I like about the image as well. Randy....seriously? I don't keep jpegs from that long ago. I did make a print of this one tho as it was one of the first flight images that I took that I liked. Back then, I used Photoshop Elements, and I have no idea how I processed it. This time, with a slight exposure tweak darker in LR3, a slight increase in clarity, followed by proper sharpening in CS5, I found that the colors pop and the eye looks good. Arash, can you please be specific about the pose and what it is that you do not like? Or not, I can't go back and ask the bird to do it again only better.

[arash_hazeghi]

Thank you Gail. That is what I like about the image as well. Randy....seriously? I don't keep jpegs from that long ago. I did make a print of this one tho as it was one of the first flight images that I took that I liked. Back then, I used Photoshop Elements, and I have no idea how I processed it. This time, with a slight exposure tweak darker in LR3, a slight increase in clarity, followed by proper sharpening in CS5, I found that the colors pop and the eye looks good. Arash, can you please be specific about the pose and what it is that you do not like? Or not, I can't go back and ask the bird to do it again only better.

The flight angle is too steep and the wings are flat (as Artie calls it pancake position ), you want to get him with the wigs up or down...better luck next time

[Grace Scalzo]

Arash, I'm feeling a bit defensive about this particular image and your comments regarding it, so I'm going to drop it. I've been here long enough and have enough flight images of my own to see the merits of a wings up or wings down position, but in this image, I like they way they are.

[arash_hazeghi]

Arash, I'm feeling a bit defensive about this particular image and your comments regarding it, so I'm going to drop it. I've been here long enough and have enough flight images of my own to see the merits of a wings up or wings down position, but in this image, I like they way they are.

Grace, the purpose of this forum is critique, by posting your images here I assumed you wanted to hear honest critique. If you don't like to hear honest critique why post here at first place? There are many "excellent shot mate" forums out there if that's what you like to hear

Any ways good luck with your photography.

[Randy Stout]

.Randy....seriously? I don't keep jpegs from that long ago. I did make a print of this one tho as it was one of the first flight images that I took that I liked. Back then, I used Photoshop Elements, and I have no idea how I processed it. This time, with a slight exposure tweak darker in LR3, a slight increase in clarity, followed by proper sharpening in CS5, I found that the colors pop and the eye looks good

Grace - I thought perhaps you had posted this image at some point in the past on this or another forum. I do keep a copy of my posted jpegs as references so I can improve them as time and new techniques allow.

Everyone - This is a critique forum, so we encourage honest opinions pro or con, as long as they are given in a considerate manner. Most of us have certain images that are more significant to us than to others, and we may tend to overlook some technical or compositional flaws, because they speak to us on some level. I have posted images which I thought were really special, but that haven't been met with any real enthusiasm on BPN. Yes, it hurt my feelings a bit, but I still liked the image, just had to accept that it didn't work as well for others.

I have a little acronym that I carry around for such circumstances in life; DTIP - don't take it personally.

After I chew on that one for a bit, I move on!

Cheers

Randy

[Melissa Groo]

I like this very much for the lovely sky and the mood conveyed by the heron's uptilted position and open bill, there is just a joyous feel to it and I think that makes it "fly".

[Karl Egressy]

I like the angle, open beak and the cloudy sky, Grace. I find this flight pose that is not often seen, very interesting.