Green Heron

Gallery: AvianPosted July 31, 2010598 views27 comments

Cypress knees are a favorite hunting perch for Green Herons. Got this one in some nice warm directional lighting not long after sunrise.
From my truck window with bean bag.

Date/Time: May 24 @ 07:28am
Model NIKON D200
Flash Used Never
Focal Length 680 mm (Nikon 400mm f/2.8d AF-I with Nikon TC17EII)
Exposure Time 1/250 sec
Aperture f/4.8 (wide open)
ISO Equivalent 280
Exposure Bias -2/3
White Balance: manual direct sunlight
Metering Mode matrix
Raw
Exposure Program aperture priority

Comments

27 comments

Comment posted by Walt Sterneman on July 31, 2010 at 9:33 PM

Beautiful shot Ronnie. I love the perch as well!

Registered on March 24, 2010, 73 Posts, 1268 Comments

Comment posted by Gary Gulash on July 31, 2010 at 9:40 PM

"Excellent" sums this one up for me! The green water plants are a very interesting background. The perch and adjacent stumps are wonderfully shaped and colored. I would suggest a bit more dof to capture them as sharp as the bird, hopefully it wouldn't be competition for the bird. Not sure what you think?

Registered on January 28, 2005, 879 Posts, 12098 Comments

Comment posted by Rob Graham on July 31, 2010 at 10:24 PM

great lighting, it really makes the bird pop

Registered on August 22, 2006, 842 Posts, 2824 Comments

Comment posted by Richard Ditch on July 31, 2010 at 11:41 PM

Magic light and a beautiful setting - I love this.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 1031 Posts, 12705 Comments

Comment posted by Simon Bennett on July 31, 2010 at 11:44 PM

A beauty Ronnie - exemplary bird, perch and background.

Registered on February 4, 2007, 350 Posts, 4614 Comments

Comment posted by Michael Lotito on August 1, 2010 at 3:08 AM

Ronnie,

This one is over the top. I can relate well to it as I prepare to try to shot this very subject today. Green Heron are not terribly plentiful in my area and I have be lucky enough to locate 4 of them. Because of the tightness of the area in which I am shooting I will have to muster all my skills to get the shot I am looking for.

Mike

Registered on June 26, 2009, 181 Posts, 1558 Comments

Comment posted by Charles Gangas on August 1, 2010 at 5:49 AM

Sensational image Ronnie-love the perch and the multiple green bands in the BG.

Registered on August 12, 2009, 544 Posts, 2414 Comments

Comment posted by Rob Drummond on August 1, 2010 at 7:26 AM

Just beautiful Ronnie - light, detail and perch are perfect

cheers
Rob

Registered on November 8, 2003, 617 Posts, 8267 Comments

Comment posted by Kenneth Arni on August 1, 2010 at 7:45 AM

Love it Ronnie, love the bg water texture and color. no nits

Registered on December 24, 2008, 112 Posts, 629 Comments

Comment posted by Sharon Hallowell on August 1, 2010 at 8:28 AM

Can't begin to say how much I like this! Wonderful. Sharon

Registered on November 1, 2003, 392 Posts, 4810 Comments

Comment posted by Tom Lusk on August 1, 2010 at 9:23 AM

Excellent! Having spent the past two mornings sitting on a muskrat hut in a marsh trying to get some decent shots of this wonderful species, your photo almost makes me want to give up.

Keep them coming.

Registered on September 17, 2005, 312 Posts, 600 Comments

Comment posted by KC Choo on August 1, 2010 at 10:22 AM

You've shown us just beautiful this habitat is for bird photography. This one is no exception. Love the green BG.

Registered on November 15, 2004, 519 Posts, 8278 Comments

Comment posted by Mia McPherson on August 1, 2010 at 10:30 AM

I love the simple lines of this, the lovely warm light and the pose of the heron. Very appealing image and great techs.

Registered on June 25, 2007, 491 Posts, 12566 Comments

Comment posted by Ron Pullen on August 1, 2010 at 11:27 AM

Perfect to me. Beautiful comp. with nice perch and background. Ron

Registered on December 18, 2005, 74 Posts, 1413 Comments

Comment posted by Dennis Plank on August 1, 2010 at 12:30 PM

Lovely light and the cypress knees make a very cool perch.

Registered on January 28, 2008, 1767 Posts, 23192 Comments

Comment posted by Brian Gatlin on August 1, 2010 at 12:38 PM

great shot, Ronnie. love the colors, pose, setting, comp. no nits from me--this is beautiful.

Registered on March 21, 2009, 202 Posts, 4187 Comments

Comment posted by Ron Bielefeld on August 1, 2010 at 1:26 PM

Sweet! Love everything about this. Great cypress knees, light, and the green pond vege. Well done.

Registered on December 6, 2008, 360 Posts, 7132 Comments

Comment posted by Dan Moore on August 1, 2010 at 3:11 PM

It seems to have everything! Just a great shot!!!

Dan

Registered on February 11, 2010, 143 Posts, 1248 Comments

Comment posted by Ken Archer on August 1, 2010 at 6:31 PM

Moments like this is what nature photography is all about. Awesome photo Ronnie!!!

Ken Archer

Registered on October 28, 2004, 222 Posts, 6683 Comments

Comment posted by David Chauvin on August 1, 2010 at 8:50 PM

Another beautiful Green Heron, BB. The long shadows across the duck weed make an interesting bg and the colors here are spot on.

Registered on August 5, 2004, 1007 Posts, 5595 Comments

Comment posted by Jude Haase on August 1, 2010 at 8:59 PM

Beautiful shot with some smooth color tones Mr Ronnie!!

Registered on April 3, 2006, 236 Posts, 1657 Comments

Comment posted by Buck Ward on August 1, 2010 at 10:37 PM

I love this picture. Perfection - the epitome of avian photography

Registered on December 8, 2003, 96 Posts, 1917 Comments

Comment posted by Kirk Greene on August 2, 2010 at 12:03 AM

Your images from the cypress swamps are always inspiring & this is no exception. I love the comp, wonderful light, & that amazing oof green background which is perfect to give full appreciation to the green heron's plumage. Thanks for sharing!!

Registered on May 12, 2004, 191 Posts, 1578 Comments

Comment posted by Nate Chappell on August 2, 2010 at 12:50 AM

Sweet shot Ronnie. I like that you included the top of the tallest cypress knee in the shot.

Registered on February 1, 2006, 1158 Posts, 19528 Comments

Comment posted by Joe Vincent on August 2, 2010 at 6:05 AM

Awesome! Do you ever get tired of posting these gorgeous shots Ronnie?

Registered on August 16, 2005, 69 Posts, 792 Comments

Comment posted by Butch Lama on August 4, 2010 at 12:30 AM

Beautiful shot & compo.Love the BG too.

Registered on July 23, 2010, 42 Posts, 316 Comments

Comment posted by Bobby Perkins on August 5, 2010 at 11:19 PM

fantastic shot of this beauty in it's natural habitat. I too love the perch & woody looking prop beside it. Background is nice too.

I also like your "tip" quote - "Its less about the subject and more about composition and light".
Thanks.

Registered on August 4, 2010, 2 Posts, 9 Comments