Green Heron

Gallery: AvianPosted April 6, 2017213 views9 comments

Circle B Bar Reserve, Lakeland, Florida
3/26/2017 – 8:07:13 AM
Canon EOS 7D   EF400mm f/5.6L USM
1/1000 sec;   f/7.1;   ISO 640
Manual;   Evaluative metering
LR5, PS6, Topaz DeNoise on the background except for selected branches, Smart Sharpen on selected branches, Smart Sharpen on bird, square crop

When I saw this scene I thought it was beautiful. I thought it would be beautiful as it was. I haven't had a Green Heron in such pretty surroundings but so out in the open before. Now tonight when I looked at it I realized that there was "too much" in the whole scene and that maybe it could have been kind of a landscape, but not an avian image.

So I tried a 2 x 3 crop and it didn't seem right. Then I tried this square crop, and that seemed to me to keep the prettiness of the surroundings but make it less complicated.

I realized also that it would have been better had the Green Heron been facing the other way, because the surroundings were emptier the other way. But I decided to go ahead and process and post it because I do like the beauty of the scene. To help with the direction the Heron is facing and to clean it up more I cloned out a small branch on the left side and a little bit larger branch on the right-hand side.

I don't know what you will think, but any feedback would be greatly appreciated. For better detail please view the "larger" version.

Thank you!

Comments

9 comments

Comment posted by Patricia Brundage on April 6, 2017 at 10:39 AM

You are right. It is not often these little guys are in the open. You are over thinking the background. In my opinion is is fine as is. Most green herons that I've seen have more of a red color on their back feathers so this guy's coloring is unusual for me.

Registered on March 23, 2006, 1111 Posts, 6531 Comments

Comment posted by Keith Bauer on April 6, 2017 at 11:35 AM

I think this is a nice scene. I too believe you are overthinking the background. It looks natural to me.. I do think the image appears pretty flat in processing. I looked at the image and made a few adjustments. A small color balance adjustment, a bit of work on the heron to bring out more texture and green and a small adjustment to the sky.

Registered on November 20, 2003, 458 Posts, 4836 Comments

Comment posted by Richard Ditch on April 6, 2017 at 1:12 PM

I agree with Keith's rework; I too find the original a bit too bright overall and a bit flat.

I think the composition is fine as presented, and that includes the relative size of the heron.

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

Comment posted by Barbara Graham on April 6, 2017 at 2:00 PM

Keith, I like your rework much better. Thank you. I'll try to accomplish those same things.

Registered on July 27, 2010, 1310 Posts, 5035 Comments

Comment posted by Dennis Plank on April 6, 2017 at 4:59 PM

Well, I disagree with the comments about overthinking the bg. I think your work on it made this a wonderful image. Keith perked it up a bit, but I liked it as posted. Well done.

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

Comment posted by Ed Williams on April 7, 2017 at 12:37 AM

I really like the overall composition here Barbara. Maybe it's my monitor or my old eyes, but the colors look nice and warm here. Those grasses and reflections add a nice touch to the jumble of branches, but you got a clean view of the heron. I's called a little green heron for a reason. I like it the way you have presented it. Keith of course has done a nice job of livening it up even more. I hate myself for seeing this, but there seems to be a tiny bit of brown grass or twig in the top LH side that should be cloned out...

Registered on December 28, 2010, 636 Posts, 3499 Comments

Comment posted by Barbara Graham on April 7, 2017 at 2:20 AM

Thanks, everyone. Ed, you won't believe this, but I saw that thing on the upper left side in the middle of doing something else with the image and meant to clone it out but totally forgot. angel

Registered on July 27, 2010, 1310 Posts, 5035 Comments

Comment posted by Steve Thompson on April 7, 2017 at 1:57 PM

Barbara, I liked the image as posted and Keith's version is an improvement. I like all the great reflections from the trees and veggies. The heron is placed perfectly in the frame too. Well done, great scene!

Registered on August 7, 2014, 125 Posts, 2319 Comments

Comment posted by Bill Leggett on April 7, 2017 at 8:29 PM

Well done, Barbara, in a typical natural environment. The little guys are tricky to find out in the open.

Registered on July 21, 2004, 706 Posts, 3233 Comments