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Tri-colored Heron
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Tri-colored Heron

by Dennis Plank

Gallery: AvianPosted April 2, 2017180 views7 comments
This bird seems to be pretty much a resident along the boardwalk at Leonabelle Turnbull.  It was another one that perched on the rail and insisted I do a head shot.  However, I kept trying to photograph it fishing, which is difficult because to get a good angle you need to get down flat on the boardwalk and it's moving around so much that the railing supports get in the way or it comes too close, or something.  I did manage to catch it taking a very quick break from flying around to preen.  I should have zoomed in more, but I was trying to stay wide to try to track it's antics better.

7D2, Sigma 150-600 C @ 238 mm, f/8, 1/1250, iso 800 aperture priority, pattern metering, -1/3 EV.  Processed in LR & PS CC.  Cropped from a horizontal original to a 7.2 MP 6x7 vertical.  Taken at 9:11 AM on March 28th.

Comments and criticisms are always appreciated.

Thanks,

Comments

7 comments
Comment posted by Richard Ditch on April 2, 2017 at 6:36 PM
Unusual position and nice plumage detail. I like the light on this as well.
Registered on November 1, 2003, 1031 Posts, 12705 Comments
Comment posted by David Schoen on April 2, 2017 at 7:47 PM
Lighting on this is really nice.  I think I would crop it more as a horizontal image just below the horizontal reed.  But that's just another point of view.
Registered on November 6, 2006, 1213 Posts, 4587 Comments
Comment posted by Bill Leggett on April 2, 2017 at 8:27 PM
Fine position, Dennis.  I have attempted many preening images and never captured anything interesting, but you did.  Agree with David on the bottom crop.
Registered on July 21, 2004, 706 Posts, 3233 Comments
Comment posted by Scott Curdie on April 2, 2017 at 9:38 PM
Interesting pose. I can understand the comments about cropping horizontally but my first reaction would be to try a tighter vertical crop. Lighting and detail are nice, I wish it would have tilted its head just a bit more to have more eye visible. Nicely done.
Registered on March 12, 2017, 9 Posts, 25 Comments
Comment posted by Charles Gangas on April 3, 2017 at 10:39 AM
Nice behavioral shot in habitat Dennis. You managed to get a pose to show just enough of the eye to work for me. Neat image.
Registered on August 12, 2009, 544 Posts, 2414 Comments
Comment posted by Stephen Kaluski on April 4, 2017 at 4:42 PM
Hi Dennis, a very 'clean' image and the reeds bring an almost 'graphic' quality as a backdrop. Perhaps a fraction lower if possible might have been better, but not a deal breaker. Always best as you know to ensure IQ to shoot the way you wish to portray the final image, but sometimes circumstances does not allow this. I might try a 16 x 10 vertical and darken the FG a fraction with a Graduate filter.

TFS
Steve
Registered on March 25, 2007, 189 Posts, 1064 Comments
Comment posted by Barbara Graham on April 4, 2017 at 5:19 PM
I absolutely love the position of this bird. Light and exposure look good to me.
Registered on July 27, 2010, 1310 Posts, 5035 Comments