Snowy Egret

Image Critiques Avian Critiques
1

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Critique Style Requested: Standard

The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.

Description

I’ve been shooting at a nearby egret rookery for about 25 years, but the last few years I have not been spending as much time as in the past. That needs to change, as equipment has gotten so much better! The best light is clearing fog, which can’t be counted on, but we’ve had a bit the last few days and I’ve been out there. I missed my favorite time of nest-building getting ready for the eclipse and was gone a week chasing it, but there is still some construction going on even though some chicks have hatched.

Specific Feedback

All comments welcome! This is the full frame but I moved the bird back about 10% by adding canvas to the right and removing an equal part from the left. I’m wondering now it I hit the best spot.

Technical Details

Screenshot 2024-04-21 at 6.45.32 AM

Hand held. Soft light of clearing fog. Basic global shadows and highlights in LR and a tweak of saturation. Into PS for Topaz Denoise – layers of Low Light and Severe Noise masked as described in the previous post. At ISO 3200 and slightly underexposed it was quite noisy and neither method got all the areas optimally.

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2

I like the horizontal position in the frame, Diane, but it feels like it could use a bit more sky under the feet. I envy your Snowies. We get the Great Egrets overwintering in some of the local refuges, but we’re a bit outside the Snowy range for now.

The angle of the bird is very good and I love the leafy stick it chose. An excellent image.

3

Beautiful image Diane! These are such elegant birds and you caught this one very nicely. Composition looks good to me and the leafy branch adds a lot of interest. Well done.

4

Beautiful image of this Snowy Egret, Diane. Colors and detail are spot on. Neither these old eyes nor my computer can detect any remnants of left over noise, background looks good to me. The position of the Egret works as it seems to be following the thirds rule with its beak hovering over the right third of the frame. Maybe as @Dennis_Plank mentioned, a little more space on the bottom would give a little more “flying” space. Looking forward to more images as the chicks come into play.

5

Really nice shot of a really difficult bird to photograph. I really like the angle and the action Diane. You did a fine job adding the canvas in front. I really appreciate the fine detail in all of the feathers in this too.

6

Thanks, @Dennis_Plank, @Allen_Sparks, @linda_mellor and @Ed_Williams. Good ideas about more at the bottom. I’ll follow up on that asap.

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