Snow Bound Heron

Gallery: AvianPosted January 27, 2011256 views23 comments

In honor of the absurd amounts of snow we are seeing in the Northeast this Winter, I submit this photo of a Great Blue Heron photographed after the a mid-month storm. I almost always drive past Great Blue Heron's because they have been photographed to death and almost never offer me an interesting composition or behavior, but the layered snow was something unique.

Nikon D300s 300 f4 + 1.7X TC HH from car
f/8
1/2000s
ISO 400

Minor clone job to remove OOF grasses, near full frame, processed in CS5 on 27" iMac

- Luke

Comments

23 comments

Comment posted by Charlie VanTassel on January 27, 2011 at 10:26 PM

Well then I won't tell you what the temperature was here today. Definitely a unique capture, Luke. Good to see that you're not afraid to go out in the weather. Any Snowies yet?

Registered on October 18, 2006, 644 Posts, 4801 Comments

Comment posted by Gary Gulash on January 27, 2011 at 10:28 PM

Wow, rather bizarre to see this bird in such a snowy situation. Nice texture on the snow and I like the light on the eye.

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

Comment posted by Randy Bacon on January 27, 2011 at 10:34 PM

Now that's different, interesting shot Luke. Nice exposure retaining the detail in the snow and good detail in the darks on the GBH. The golden eye really adds some pop to this scene - thanks for sharing.

Registered on November 24, 2008, 56 Posts, 492 Comments

Comment posted by Sharon Hallowell on January 27, 2011 at 11:14 PM

I think this is great Luke! Way to be out there! Sharon

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

Comment posted by Pat Sampson on January 27, 2011 at 11:27 PM

Love this one Luke. GBHs are one of my favorite birds and this is a very fine image for my tastes.

pat

Registered on May 19, 2007, 953 Posts, 15989 Comments

Comment posted by dan elster on January 28, 2011 at 12:00 AM

Love, love, love this original composition.

Registered on September 23, 2005, 299 Posts, 2443 Comments

Comment posted by Sally King on January 28, 2011 at 12:14 AM

Is he really buried in all that snow? Perfect exposure and the comp works well.

Registered on December 2, 2008, 416 Posts, 4450 Comments

Comment posted by Jim DeWitt on January 28, 2011 at 1:40 AM

A once in a lifetime photo, Luke. Simply wonderful documentation of what's going on there. Glad you decided to post it here.

Registered on August 28, 2006, 1240 Posts, 8506 Comments

Comment posted by Ken Archer on January 28, 2011 at 2:04 AM

A very unusual yet excellent photo of a great blue, nice work Luke!!!

Ken Archer

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

Comment posted by Balan Vinod on January 28, 2011 at 5:59 AM

Luke ..wonderful image here ..and lovely composition of a lovely setting. I was wondering of you should have had more dof and added the foreground and BG, its a personal thing though..

well done

Balan Vinod

Registered on March 20, 2006, 889 Posts, 2312 Comments

Comment posted by Brian Gatlin on January 28, 2011 at 8:11 AM

bizarre and interesting shot, Luke. very cool. looks like he's in a little narrow channel of open water, with steep snow banks?

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

Comment posted by Ron Bielefeld on January 28, 2011 at 8:21 AM

Wild! Not much else to say.

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

Comment posted by Kurt Bowman on January 28, 2011 at 8:58 AM

I am happy you stopped to photograph this one Luke, because I have never seen one this deep in snow before. The comp on this really takes it over the top for me. The exposure is PERFECT...you really nailed this one. Congrats!

Registered on June 19, 2008, 1005 Posts, 8028 Comments

Comment posted by Mia McPherson on January 28, 2011 at 11:19 AM

Luke,

I love this. Excellent work on a difficult exposure, love the lines in this image and the "cold" feel.

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

Comment posted by Luke Ormand on January 28, 2011 at 11:40 AM

Thanks to all for such encouraging words. Brian is right - along the side of the road there are mosquito ditches that never freeze over. The bird was hanging out in one and had it's eye on a fish. The snow in front and behind is piled upon the buried vegetation. The fact that this is on the edge of the bay allows for the wind to smooth it all and create the interesting patterns and textures. Like I said, I never stop and photograph these birds but if I'm given an unusual scene I can't resist!

Registered on February 4, 2009, 1093 Posts, 7035 Comments

Comment posted by Howard Cheek on January 28, 2011 at 1:13 PM

This is excellent Luke, the camera settings look perfect.
Nice & sharp with an interesting comp/POV. I especially like the light and shadows that give this closeup a strong sense of depth

Registered on July 24, 2008, 1201 Posts, 10758 Comments

Comment posted by Loulou Beavers on January 28, 2011 at 2:58 PM

Very nice and unique photo, well done.

Registered on June 21, 2008, 73 Posts, 205 Comments

Comment posted by Jeff Loomis on January 28, 2011 at 3:30 PM

Excellent and very unique! Just amazing that he would hang out in that spot. Nice job on a tough exposure and the detail in the snow is fabulous. I wish you had one with a little more DOF, just to compare.

Registered on January 26, 2010, 68 Posts, 719 Comments

Comment posted by Monica Siri on January 28, 2011 at 3:38 PM

Luke,
very special setting for this heron. Beautiful comp. Well done.

Registered on September 20, 2009, 132 Posts, 3764 Comments

Comment posted by Richard Ditch on January 29, 2011 at 10:42 AM

Excellent as posted. Tells the story very well.

I used to have that attitude about these birds and other abundant large species that I thought of as "beginner's birds." But I've relaxed that position and now look at every bird trying to find the best way to photograph it irrespective of how many times its "been done already."

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

Comment posted by Albert Darmo on January 29, 2011 at 3:00 PM

Hi Luke

I hope this scene is not a preview of the future. This heron does not look very happy in the snow. A Great documentary capture

Albert Darmo. Canada

Registered on November 25, 2008, 1386 Posts, 11978 Comments

Comment posted by Ron Dudley on January 31, 2011 at 1:54 PM

Really like this one Luke. We get them in snow around here but I've never seen one almost buried in it like this. Quite unique.

Registered on March 30, 2007, 437 Posts, 10915 Comments

Comment posted by Geoffrey Baker on February 1, 2011 at 5:51 PM

Different to the usual heron image that's for sure

Well spotted and taken.

Geoff.

Registered on August 20, 2010, 192 Posts, 980 Comments