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"The Thinker"
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"The Thinker"

by Dennis Plank

Gallery: AvianPosted September 8, 201492 views3 comments
With apologies to Rodin. The Great Blue Heron is a rather common bird, but it gave me a few poses that I really liked this time. I also liked the rugged look of the beak in the low angle morning light. I do wish I'd had a bit more separation from the bg, but it wasn't possible with the topography and light angle. I did get some side lit shots of the same bird that I rather liked and the bg was further away at that angle.

1Div, 500mm f4 ISL + 2.0TC, balanced on foam insulation on truck window, f8, 1/1000, iso 500, pattern metering, aperture priority, -1/3 stop compensation to avoid blowing out the whites. Processed in LR5 & CS6. Full frame. Taken September 5th at 7:44 am at Ridgefield NWR.

Your comments are always appreciated.

Thanks,

Comments

3 comments
Comment posted by Jim DeWitt on September 9, 2014 at 12:16 PM
Sweet light and a nice, intimate look at the bird. It amazes me how they can fold their necks up like that and still breathe.
Registered on August 28, 2006, 1240 Posts, 8506 Comments
Comment posted by Gary Reed on September 9, 2014 at 2:26 PM
Dennis. Love the light. Detail is pretty good for TC used. :toast:
Registered on September 19, 2009, 198 Posts, 1074 Comments
Comment posted by Philip Hodgkins on September 9, 2014 at 8:47 PM
It is a common bird. Still and all, it has qualities of patience and endurance that are lacking or less in other wading birds. Probably the very facts which make it so common.

A good portrait, if a little dark. Good control of the whites and mid-tones. I wish the dark plumage could be brought up just a tad. :smile:
Registered on July 24, 2006, 2741 Posts, 12349 Comments