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Thread: Reddish Egret Shakes It Up

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    Default Reddish Egret Shakes It Up

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    Canon 1D4
    500mm +1.4x
    Gitzo/Wimberley spread low

    ISO 800
    f/5.6
    1/2500 sec

    I was lying down here on a beach in Fort Myers in Feb, and happily watching a reddish egret do its thing, hunting, strutting, and just basically being gorgeous. Here it is in the midst of some shaking action. I like the bands of color in the background.
    Cropped off about 40% and cloned out parts of a couple little blue herons on the fringes. Very slight sharpening as I think it's very easy for these egrets to get that crunchy look.
    Thank you for looking. All C& C greatly appreciated.

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    Avian Moderator Randy Stout's Avatar
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    Melissa;
    Good shooting angle, handsome bird with good colors (breeding), good BG, like the shake.

    It appears to have a subtle green color cast that shows mostly in the greys of the body.

    A smidge more eye contact would be nice.

    Cheers

    Randy
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    Macro and Flora Moderator Jonathan Ashton's Avatar
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    Wow I like this, love the pose, I can't comment on the colours as I have not seen one of the beautiful birds, I fully respect Randy's comment, nonetheless they look absolutely gorgeous to me - all so very complimentary an' all.
    Sharpening looks good I would perhaps try a tad more - you have made me inquisitive - it looks good, but now you make me wonder what it would be like just a tiny bit crisper.........I am sure Jack would be able to exemplify this conundrum!!

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    Exellent image quality, great details and sharpness, Melissa.

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    Lovely image! Really like the crazy feathering (well, it's a crazy bird!). The background and smoothness of the foreground water really sets the bird off a treat. I'd swap London UK for the USA any day!! Birds and light actually come together!

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    Excellent work here...no further sharpening required here IMHO, the lighting and the exploding feathers has helped throw up all the detail you could wish for.

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    BPN Member Bill Dix's Avatar
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    Beautiful image, Melissa. I actually like seeing him intently focused on the task at hand, so don't mind the lack of eye contact. Lovely soft bg and beautiful light. I know what you mean about that crunchy look on these guys, so you probably did well with the USM - I might have taken it another notch, and gone too far. I can also see a slight shift toward the green.

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    love the angle and the fluff

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    BPN Member Don Lacy's Avatar
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    Hi Melissa , Really like the pose and the colorful BG I removed the color cast and added just a touch of mid tone contrast
    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
    http://www.witnessnature.net/
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    Super Moderator Daniel Cadieux's Avatar
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    Beautiful pose on this guy, I love how they sometimes have that "mean" look on their eyes. I do wish for a bit of separation between the legs, but no biggie. Don's repost nails the colours!

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    Thanks everyone very much for the comments and suggestions. I definitely see that green cast, and here is a repost. I appreciate your taking the time to do redo it Don, I like what you did though perhaps too far on the red side for me.
    As for the eye contact Randy, I appreciate your view, but I felt the eye was fine here since it was more of a behavior than a pose image, if that makes sense.

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    Avian Moderator Randy Stout's Avatar
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    Melissa:

    I get the point about eye contact.

    Here is yet another take on color balance. A bit cooler than the others, closer to my vision of the bird, but of course we all know who subjective that is, lighting dependent, etc.

    Cheers

    Randy
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    Nice Randy! I am liking what you did a lot. I think I had initially added too much warmth to it.

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    BPN Member Don Lacy's Avatar
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    All three versions work for me I tend to like my images warm and I think I went to far on the tonal contrast still a fine image Melissa.
    Don Lacy
    You don't take a photograph, you make it - Ansel Adams
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    BPN Member dankearl's Avatar
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    I like all the versions. Just great stuff, beautiful bird in very nice light.
    Dan Kearl

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    Generally speaking I like warm coloured pictures, so my vote goes for that. Excellent pose and I love the ruffled feathers here, Melissa.

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    Lifetime Member Marina Scarr's Avatar
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    Having spent quite a bit of time photographing these birds the last month or so, I have to go with Randy's version, although I liked Don's the best until I saw his. Melissa's still has a slight greenish cast. Great advice here, and helpful to me as well for future.

    Lovely capture, Melissa. Love the ruffled feathered look and the graduated BG. No eye issue for me. Like the calm water as well.
    Marina Scarr
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    Awesome shot Melissa. I like the able, behavior and color captured. Your image is sharp and I like the low angle. Well done. Works for me.

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    Wonderful image. I just love the ruffled up feathers, excellent detail, very nice light, great shooting angle, and I personally like Randy's repost.
    Very well done.

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    Thank you kindly for all the comments and help.

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    Super Moderator arash_hazeghi's Avatar
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    love the light, pose and concentration on hunting. my pick is #11
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