This wonderful Great Egret was kind enough to pose for me last week and gave me another chance at photographing birds. He had been fishing for breakfast then stopped and began shaking himself off. I took several images which has made a great series, but choice this one for the definition in the wings. I was at a local nature trail located below the dam. The background is part of the water release system, not totally ideal for my taste, but good practice.
I cropped 1:1 (about 50%) wanting to be close enough for details, but still allowing him in his environment. I had a closer crop, but he seemed to confined. Does the crop work? Is the background too distracting? I was ok with the bird shaking and focused on its eyes. Are the OOF feathers too distracting?
Any other comments, suggestions and thoughts are welcome.
Nikon D7200, f/6.3, 1/640 sec., iso 500, 28mm-300mm @250mm. Tripod, cable release.
LR: noise reduction on background, sharpened eye. PS: luminosity masks to darken background and bring out detail in feathers.
Hi Linda
The OOf are just wonderful. The eye contact, detail and white are really good. There are two thing I think you could look at. The first step could be to open up the framing some more. Kext I would go back into PS or Lightroom and clone out the dark line that crosses the upper frame. Linda you shot a nice looking Great Egret.
Peter
You nailed the focus on this one, Linda, and this is the kind of subject that works well with that focal length of lens. The feathers are fine with me. It’s always hard to tell, but I think the whites are fine. There are a number of techniques to pull more detail out of them, but you can never really get any texture out of the back where there’s such a grazing angle and the plumage is so fine. you might try going to a slightly horizontal aspect ratio with a bit more room in front of the egret (maybe a 5x4 or 7x6).
As for Peter’s comment on the dark line, with this pose, i think you might get away with leveling the image on that bar and then cropping down to it. It would be a little tight on the top, but I think it might work.
Thank you @peter and @Dennis_Plank for taking the time and giving me some great ideas.
This is my “re-work” based on both of the suggestion you made. As a side note; the “dark line” Peter referred to is the railing of an observation/fishing platform which occupies that side of the river. Initially I had cropped way closer (1:1) but felt the Egret was too cramped. I do like this version, but am still a bit draw to what is happening on the other side of the river. … . am also feeling I need to move on and keep shooting, perhaps I’ll get a better angle next time.
Oh Linda, I am so glad that this Egret posed for you. I like your “Repost” and I will add that to your title so others know you have posted an edit. Nice details in the face and eyes.
Nice shot of the egret. Exposure looks good to my eye. Sometimes what i do with white birds or white on birds is bring the luminance and saturation of blue down a bit. It seems to bring out the detail in the whites a bit more. The detail is often there just getting it to show up is hard to do.
You did mention in your repost about getting a better angle next time. I like that and you will find it becomes a common theme in getting the bg you like.
A very nice pose of egret.
Thanks David. I did a quick luminance/saturation test and am really pleased with the technique and the effect. Posted just a close-up for comparison. Thanks again for taking the time and sharing your ideas.
