NPWC#573 Among the reeds

Hi Bob, we may all have an idea of great camouflage animals, birds and insects (the bittern being one of them), but this is just such a great shot. Instead of hiding in it's environment, we get to see an extended neck and wading/walking legs. Great pose, and yet still very much camouflaged. Love it!

Definitely a good subject for the theme. I'd back off a bit on the contrast in this.

This is a real nice image of this species which of course is so hard to find... I like the habitat and bits of green. The lighting is quite heavy on contrast though unfortunately, but the detail in the feather is great.

Very crisp and bright image of this bird. Your photo illustrates well how this bird can so easily be camouflaged by the reeds and grasses around it. Nice pose of the bird and good comp with the angled water and green grass in the bottom corner. Good entry for the theme, Bob.

Nice shot of this Bittern. Although it shows up well here, it's easy to see how it could disappear by stepping into the taller grasses in the back.

Nice and sharp, I checked the larger photo and always look at the eyes. Most of nature's camo jobs are not perfect, as in this shot, but works just enough to blend the animal into its background. Nicely composed with enough space around to give him room.

This is an amazing species. It can freeze at any time or place and appear to be something other than a bird. In addition to camouflage, you get a bit of trickery. The bird appears to be in good light and reallly pops. It looks a bit like Velvia. I am not offended.

Nice shot of this Bittern, Bob. Definitely in it's natural environment and a good choice for the challenge. The only critique I can offer is that the sunlit throat feathers appear to be overexposed, resulting in a loss of texture and detail.