Is this my best side?

We found a Cormorant pair on a snag, twice. A careful approach by our boater (who was also shooting) got a few nice portrait opportunities before they bugged out.

Specific Feedback Requested

All comments welcome!

Technical Details

Is this a composite: No
Canon R5, 100-500 + 1.4X at 700. ISO 1000, f/10, 1/1600. Some tonal slider work in LR, nothing heroic. Into PS for NR and some cleanup of stray branches. A touch of Detail Extractor. Cropped to 44% of the original frame.

This is a beautiful portrait. I like the soft tan background against the bird.
What is Detail Extractor?

@Mark_Muller, it’s one of the things in Nik Color Efex Pro. It has sliders that let you bring out detail in shadows and highlights – assuming there is some there as you went into PS. The collection of filters there is wonderful!

1 Like

Wow what a great one! I don’t think I got anything like this. That look is terrific! Nice job in the bobbing boat!

Tnx @Kris – I shot in burst mode and have a sequence of mis-frames on every shot the whole trip. I have lots of practice shooting out of planes, with turbulence that always hits just as I hit the shutter button. It is way beyond coincidence.

A beautiful portrait of a stunning bird. He’s given you the classic cormorant pose. Lovely background compliments the bird very well.

Beautiful Diane. I keep thinking he/she is standing on someone’s arm. I love the pose, the colors, and the squared frame. All around an excellent image.

Love the head turn and the BG is gorgeous, Diane. Might be too much work, but I am wondering if it’s worth cloning out that diagonal stick behind the bird…

Outstanding color, detail, and pose. The wing position is perfect. I also agree with Adhika with respect to cloning out the diagonal stick behind the bird. Might be worth the work.

Thanks everyone! @Adhika_Lie and @David_Schoen, I thought about removing that branch but then I thought the one whose tip is just in front of the foot would look awkward. It would be tricky to remove that one because I’d have to invent part of the foot. I could shorten the larger one pretty easily. May give it a try.