Heron at sunset

Gallery: AvianPosted August 16, 201165 views5 comments

I spotted this heron on a dead tree in the water of a lake. The heron was too high to get backlighted by the setting sun (also I could not bend down enough) so I had to settle for the sunset reflecting on the lakes water. I welcome any comments on how this shot could have been improved. The heron left before I could get any closer, maybe spooked by an osprey that flew low over the lake!

Canon T3i
1/160 @ F-5.6 ISO 800, -.3 adj
Canon EF70-300mm IS USM @ 300mm
Spot meter, IS on HH.

Comments

5 comments

Comment posted by Charlie Baugh on August 16, 2011 at 6:38 PM

I'm anxious to see if there are ways to bring this subject to more prominance. It is a wonderful composition and a wonderful scene in general.

Registered on April 18, 2011, 329 Posts, 1985 Comments

Comment posted by Robert Bunch on August 16, 2011 at 7:13 PM

It's probably just on my monitor but it does look a little dark to me. Otherwise a nice atmospheric shot.

Registered on May 18, 2004, 124 Posts, 2503 Comments

Comment posted by Charlie Baugh on August 16, 2011 at 7:39 PM

Now that I have thought about it and looked at your image a bit more, I wonder if you considered or tried to boost the EV and moved in (if your zoom allowed) Scratch that I see you were at 300mm. Then I think boosting the EV and blowing the bright water may have given you a good exposure of the heron and you could have cropped out the blown water or selectively darkened it. Just wondering aloud.

Charlie

Registered on April 18, 2011, 329 Posts, 1985 Comments

Comment posted by Dennis Plank on August 16, 2011 at 11:14 PM

I really like the composition and the water, John. You were probably quite a distance from the subject but flash might have done some interesting things to the perch and bird. I don't use it much myself, but this image feels like it might have helped. The folks who do use it might chime in on that issue.

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

Comment posted by Brian Gatlin on August 16, 2011 at 11:18 PM

Bill, for me the heron blends too much with the bg--I'd have looked for ways to get the heron either against that bright water or the bright sky. or if neither was possible, I'd have exposed for darker part of the scene and eliminated the bright parts (maybe with a horizontal).

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