Egret Lift Off, Touch Down and Something Different

[GBO25]

Lift Off




Touch Down




Something Different

[deetheturk]

Very nice Graham, love the reflections

[Shadowman]

Nice captures.

[IzzieK]

Nicely done, Graham, all very good reflections and actions. #3 looks nice but not my type to burn a bird in the bush fire, sort of...could have change the colour a bit to another one?

[John 2]

Three nice images Graham but I am not sure about the last one - only because I think that as a straight shot it is by far the most satisfying comp. As a straight study, I think it could be stunning.

[marlunn]

Graham, +1 with Izzie and John on the treatment of the last one, #2, love that one a lot - the dynamics of the angles and reflection are great

[GBO25]

I have had mixed reactions to the third shot from different people who've seen it. It is a bit bright.
Here's the original plus a slightly sepia version which is a bit blown out in places...

[Shadowman]

The shape/pose of the egret in #3 is so typical of seen captures, you need to present something a bit different. I like the positioning of the rocks within the composition.

[chauncey]

Graham, you have takeoff and landing...what about the in-between? They make for a nice series,
photomerge, if they're all in focus. As you have determined, feather detail in those white birds is
really difficult to capture. What are your settings, Raw or jpeg?

[GBO25]

Graham, you have takeoff and landing...what about the in-between? They make for a nice series,
photomerge, if they're all in focus. As you have determined, feather detail in those white birds is
really difficult to capture. What are your settings, Raw or jpeg?

The take off and landing are an EF 70-200 f4L at 200mm using Av (Aperture Priority) at 1/4000 and f4 with -2/3 EV. The EXIF hasn't recorded the ISO for some reason but it would have been 100 or maybe 200.
The standing shot is same lens and focal length but at f4 and +1/3 EV using spot metering on the now stationary egret. It's 1/3200.

I pretty well always shoot in RAW+jpeg which is what these were and it was the edited RAW images I eventually kept.

[Barbara Ponder]

Nice shots Graham, getting them with wings spread is always fun. I am a fan of the sepia treatment of the 3rd shot.

[JohnRostron]

I have to say I did like the third Pic!

John

[Geoff F]

Looking good to me, including the 'arty' effect.

The only slight change I would make to that effect is to clone out a rather strong 'scratch line' on the right side towards the top corner.

[bnnrcn]

All very nice :-)

[IzzieK]

These last edits of the the third one, I like the sepia one, but on both of them, I think you should remove the rocks at the top of the frame because in my opinion, it will be simpler looking like the more minimalist shot.It sort of distract the whole image.

[GBO25]

Looking good to me, including the 'arty' effect.

The only slight change I would make to that effect is to clone out a rather strong 'scratch line' on the right side towards the top corner.

Thanks Geoff. I hadn't actually noticed that scratch, don't know why because it's pretty obvious. Will attend to it now though.

?......... I think you should remove the rocks at the top of the frame because in my opinion, it will be simpler looking like the more minimalist shot.It sort of distract the whole image.

Yep, I agree Izzie, the rocks will have to go.

[Downrigger]

Yes! for the third. They're all really fine, but beyond the technical artifice of good capture and PP there's an opportunity to be expressive with such extraordinary creatures. Good for you. I don't even have to guess for a minute, which of these, nicely mounted, would go first at the local gallery.