A great egret , backlit by the low January sunlight. There wasn’t much to see that day, so I played around a bit and made this image.
Anything, from the processing to the crop.
Pentax K3 Mk. iii, Sigma 4/100-300mm with TC2 @240mm, ISO3200, f/4, 1/1600sec.
@Han_Schutten I think the color is really interesting here. You definitely have the golden glow of low sun, but your subject stands out nicely through it, and I feel like it minimizes the otherwise busy background. Very nice.
Hans, I like the sense of mystery (or dreaminess) here. There’s a feeling of a quietly enjoyable sunrise that’s meditative.
Han,
Egrets are great subjects and I enjoyed photographing them back when I did a little more wildlife photography.
This is a wonderful capture - a great moment in time. The light/glare on the scene from the low sun creates the beautiful lighting and perfect conditions for this low contrast challenge.
I think the “Patiently waiting” title applies both to the Egret hunting… AND the photographer waiting… 
Lon
The color is great, as mentioned. I think my favorite part is how the highlights in the grass, sprinkled throughout, evoke rainfall (what I thought I was looking at in the thumb).
Thank you, @karlag , @Mark_Seaver , @Lon_Overacker and @Max_Waugh for your comments! Much appreciated.
