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Snowy egret w/repost
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Snowy egret w/repost

by Ron Bielefeld

Gallery: AvianPosted September 1, 2010144 views19 comments
One of my favorite birds and they finally were feeding in my favorite area to shoot them this morning. I really like the DOF, light, BG, and FG on this image. One of my favorite snowy shots so far. Please view larger image for detail. Thanks for looking and your comments.

Canon 7D
500mm f/4
ISO 320
1/4000s
f/6.3
HH
75% of FF
NR on BG only

Comments

19 comments
Comment posted by Luke Ormand on September 1, 2010 at 3:23 PM
Super sharp and great composition for HH a BIF like this - the angle is what I like most.
Registered on February 4, 2009, 1093 Posts, 7035 Comments
Comment posted by Jim Hackley on September 1, 2010 at 3:34 PM
Talk about standing out from the background, good job on handling such a difficult contrast shot, well done.
Registered on September 17, 2009, 302 Posts, 5535 Comments
Comment posted by Mia McPherson on September 1, 2010 at 3:49 PM
Ron,

I like the flight pose, nice eye contact, trailing feet and the comp you used. I like how well this shows the yellow lores and the "golden slippers".
Registered on June 25, 2007, 491 Posts, 12566 Comments
Comment posted by David Haynes on September 1, 2010 at 5:05 PM
Ron,
You killed this one. The background is delicious, the composition is just right, and the depth of field has everything but the bird blurred perfectly. Whites look pretty good which is always a problem with these guys. Great sharpness throughout the whole bird with even the wing tips being fairly sharp. My only nit is that it's not mine. Very well done Ron. :toast:
Registered on February 20, 2010, 110 Posts, 1511 Comments
Comment posted by Ron Bielefeld on September 1, 2010 at 5:11 PM
Thanks for the comment David. I was interested in seeing if anybody else really liked the BG, because, to me, it is the BG along with the middle ground and what FG there is, that takes this image a bit above ordinary.
Registered on December 6, 2008, 360 Posts, 7132 Comments
Comment posted by Ron Dudley on September 1, 2010 at 7:07 PM
Ron - I agree, the background is wonderful. Great use of DOF and I like your framing. My only nit is that I'd like to see a little more detail and less brightness on the head behind the eye - a tall order with a Snowy Egret I know but you've set such a high standard...
Registered on March 30, 2007, 437 Posts, 10915 Comments
Comment posted by Craig Strand on September 1, 2010 at 7:35 PM
This is a real "Killer" shot Ron. Like you, I absolutely love the exposure used and captured detail.... of course the inflight captured pose does help. I agree and you should be very pleased with your work... I would blow it up really big and frame it. :toast:
Registered on March 30, 2008, 416 Posts, 2885 Comments
Comment posted by Ákos Lumnitzer on September 1, 2010 at 7:36 PM
I was about to say I feel there are some hot whites, so to be sure I brought your image into Photoshop to check levels. It's a good thing to do that IMHO and verify that the exposure is perfect in this instance Ron. :smile:

I really like the pose and certainly see why it's your favorite Snowy so far. :toast:
Registered on April 24, 2004, 25 Posts, 510 Comments
Comment posted by Ron Bielefeld on September 1, 2010 at 8:28 PM
Akos, I always check the brightness of my images using a Threshold layer in PS. As you determined, the whites are not blown.

Ron D, I thought about bringing down those whites a bit, but I always struggle with doing that in my mind, because whites are supposed to be white and if they are brought down they tend toward grey and thus lessen the dynamics in the bird. So, I left the whites as shot here. Could easily get more detail out of them and I might try that to see how it looks.

As always thanks for the comments.
Registered on December 6, 2008, 360 Posts, 7132 Comments
Comment posted by Brian Gatlin on September 1, 2010 at 8:31 PM
Ron, it's a great looking snowy. I love the light, and I agree that the BG and FG create a beautiful setting for the bird.
Registered on March 21, 2009, 202 Posts, 4187 Comments
Comment posted by Richard Ditch on September 1, 2010 at 8:36 PM
Love the light and the position; a fine image. Well done.
Registered on November 1, 2003, 1031 Posts, 12705 Comments
Comment posted by Ron Bielefeld on September 1, 2010 at 8:38 PM
Here is a repost where I brought down the brightest whites just a bit. I know it is tough to tell from the small image, but there is more detail now and the adjustment does not seem to have caused too much greying of the feathers.
Registered on December 6, 2008, 360 Posts, 7132 Comments
Comment posted by Ron Dudley on September 1, 2010 at 8:54 PM
Ron, Thanks for the repost. And for the larger version of your repost that you sent me by email. In that larger version I can see some detail now and don't notice any graying. IMO, that version is a significant improvement.

For the record, I never did think or say that the whites were hot (as was mentioned elsewhere), just that some of them didn't show much detail. It's an excellent image Ron, especially with your "adjustment". :wink:
Registered on March 30, 2007, 437 Posts, 10915 Comments
Comment posted by Hali Sowle on September 1, 2010 at 9:42 PM
This is just wonderful Ron - the comp and the exposure are wonderful and that background is just fantastic. Super all the way around!
Registered on January 9, 2008, 36 Posts, 582 Comments
Comment posted by Eric Diller on September 1, 2010 at 9:45 PM
Nice flight shot Ron! Those whites are tough but you did well
Registered on October 2, 2009, 69 Posts, 434 Comments
Comment posted by Dennis Plank on September 1, 2010 at 10:51 PM
Very nice, Ron. A sweet bg for this one. :toast:
Registered on January 28, 2008, 1767 Posts, 23192 Comments
Comment posted by Howard Cheek on September 2, 2010 at 8:28 AM
A fine image Ron, the whites are well controlled. Great POV, comp, and details..
Think the whites may tend to look a bit bright in contrast to that dark BG, when they are not.
Well done :toast:
Registered on July 24, 2008, 1201 Posts, 10758 Comments
Comment posted by Peter Conway on September 2, 2010 at 9:52 PM
This is quite spectacular. Everything has been said, but I have to say that the BG is special. :toast:

Peter
Registered on June 25, 2007, 347 Posts, 3913 Comments
Comment posted by Angela McCain on September 3, 2010 at 9:17 PM
Very nice. I love that multi-colored background.
Registered on April 19, 2009, 367 Posts, 3589 Comments