This Great Blue Heron had just swallowed a huge fish (image two similar to this shot, but earlier and a different GBH) and was just standing there as it slid ever so slowly to its stomach, and it took a good while to do so - about 15 minutes.
Specific Feedback Requested
Anything and everything. These are two different GBH’s to show the enormous capability of how much one can swallow, whole.
Technical Details
Is this a composite: No
D500, 200-500 @370mm, 1/640, ISO 500
Pretty much straight forward on both images with a 50/50 mix of ACR and PS. The second image was a fairly massive crop due to not wanting to sink up to my knees in alligator infested muck. The first image required much more work to get the GBH to stand out against the greenery. This was accomplished using several lights masks and some selective burning, isolation of the GBH and BG. Tedious, but fun.
Hi Chris, the first image really tells a story with that big lump in the neck. Nice image with a pleasing setting as well. The second image looks more like a female anhinga to me than a Great Blue Heron. Nice catch either way.
Good possibility as t was a banner day in the swamp and I was on a shooting romp. Could have easily gotten my frames mixed up…ruffled brown neck feathers is a dead give away. Good spot!
Wow… all I can think is “poor bird”. For a heron, his expression make hime look like he swallowed with regret. What a great moment and story to be able to photograph and observe. Your image was framed nicely.
