Great Blue Herons...

[jprzybyla]

Yesterday my wife and I went to the wetlands at a nearby nature reserve. During our walk around there were hundreds of White Pelicans on the lake but too far away to photograph, but we did encounter several roosting Great Blue Herons. Posted below are three that I like. C&C welcomed and appreciated. Thank you for viewing.

#1



#2



#3

[jeeperman]

Geesh Joe, leave some Heron for the rest of us. lol They are fun aren't they. I really like the first against the moss, but you might try and kill some of the blue cast in the shadows.
#2 is a nice bright image. I like finding them in trees and happens rarley here unless it is where they nest.
#3 Looks like he is building a nest site?

[jprzybyla]

Hi Paul, I will take a look at the shadows in the first image. A strange morning, all the Great Blues were in trees, many Egrets, Limpkins and other birds wading in the marsh but not the blues. Then Heron in image three is roosting where a pair built a non-typical nest last year. The female was sitting on the nest but nothing came about and the nest was abandoned. I wondered seeing one there again if they would try again this year.

[jprzybyla]

Great to have another set of eyes to see what I did not. I knocked down the blue channel a bit. Thanks for pointing that out Paul. I did another edit, working it differently. I like this better.

[jeeperman]

No worries Joe. Still a little in there but it is much better. Darn shadows acrossed white can be tough.

[Bobobird]

Excellent images Joe, the edit of #1 looks good. #2 is superb.

[jprzybyla]

Excellent images Joe, the edit of #1 looks good. #2 is superb.

Hello Bobo, thank you for viewing and commenting. Keep shooting my friend.

[Otavio]

Hi Joe, (another) very nice set! #2 is my choice and, regarding #1, I prefer the edit version too. Thanks for sharing!

[Ken Curtis]

Hi Joe. I like the original number one best. I want to see the blue coloring in the feathers and the sky. Perhaps selectively removing some of the blue from the feathers on the bird's breast would look a bit more natural. On the other hand, I haven't seen enough blue herons up close and personal to know what color they should be. Just the same, all are wonderful images.

The branches and mossy stuff are distracting elements in photo #1, but I don't mind them at all because I can clearly see the heron and the environment looks natural.

Good work!

[terrib]

Joe, these are great. I can't decide which I like best because they are all sharp and clear. This color thing is difficult for me because I really like the colors in the first presentation of #1. When post processing, how do you know what is real? Are there times when there really are blue color casts in the shadows? I'm afraid I may be guilty of getting a subject to the color I like as opposed to what was real because who can remember those subtleties?

Sorry for rambling on. But I do like the photos. I like seeing the environment in #1. And I like the lines and simplicity of #3. Great job!

[jamn4ex]

Hi Joe, I like 2 best. It seems like he has a little attitude!

[jprzybyla]

Hi Joe, (another) very nice set! #2 is my choice and, regarding #1, I prefer the edit version too. Thanks for sharing!

Hello Octavio, thank you for taking time to view and comment. My pleasure to share.

[jprzybyla]

Hi Joe. I like the original number one best. I want to see the blue coloring in the feathers and the sky. Perhaps selectively removing some of the blue from the feathers on the bird's breast would look a bit more natural. On the other hand, I haven't seen enough blue herons up close and personal to know what color they should be. Just the same, all are wonderful images.

The branches and mossy stuff are distracting elements in photo #1, but I don't mind them at all because I can clearly see the heron and the environment looks natural.

Good work!

Hello Ken, thank you for taking time to view and comment. Normally the part of the breast that has a blue cast would be white but the shadow falling on the breast creates a blue cast. What you suggest of selectively removing the bluish cast is easily done with the Adjustment Brush in Lightroom 4. Regarding the background in image #1 I did work on it to make it less distracting by darkening it so that ones eyes would be drawn to the brighter bird. Thanks again Ken.

[jprzybyla]

Joe, these are great. I can't decide which I like best because they are all sharp and clear. This color thing is difficult for me because I really like the colors in the first presentation of #1. When post processing, how do you know what is real? Are there times when there really are blue color casts in the shadows? I'm afraid I may be guilty of getting a subject to the color I like as opposed to what was real because who can remember those subtleties?

Sorry for rambling on. But I do like the photos. I like seeing the environment in #1. And I like the lines and simplicity of #3. Great job!

Thanks Terri, I always appreciate your comments. Regarding your question... how do you know what is real, most times with bright light the cameras automatic white balance does a excellent job. Capturing the images in RAW format the images are toned down ( flat looking), lacking contrast and saturation. Most times just a slight bump up in both corrects that. The color white in shadows sometimes takes on a blue cast because of blue tones/light in shadows. Another way of knowing the correct colors is by seeing the birds and observing, I have seen hundreds of Great Blue Herons ( they are very common in Florida ). When in doubt I use the photographs in the field guides to identifying birds.

You do not ramble on, your comments are always a pleasure to read. Thanks again Terri.

[jprzybyla]

Hi Joe, I like 2 best. It seems like he has a little attitude!

Hello James, thank you for taking time to view and comment. I can relate to your comment about #2 seeming to have an attitude. He was looking me over closely.

[jeeperman]

Joe, while darkening that background as you have, go back in to that marker and reduce the clearity as well, see how you like it. I do that on occasion to help seperate and kill distractions. Just a little something to try when you have the time.

[jprzybyla]

Joe, while darkening that background as you have, go back in to that marker and reduce the clearity as well, see how you like it. I do that on occasion to help seperate and kill distractions. Just a little something to try when you have the time.

Thanks Paul, I have never tired reducing the clarity. I shall file it away in my bag of tricks to use when trying to make a subject stand out from the background.