Bruce Michelotti  


Tricolor Heron Pair by Bruce Michelotti

May 2022 - Tricolor Heron Pair

About the Image(s)

While in Florida last month I visited a Rookery in Venice. Breeding season and plenty of birds of many species to see. Somewhat difficult to get a good photo with a clean background since they are nesting in trees and bushes. Non the less I captured this Tricolored Heron pair posing nicely and mostly in view. Used a rented (I liked it very much) Sigma 150-600 at 421mm. ISO=250, 1/1000 at f/9.0. Shot in the early morning when everyone was just waking up, except for me, who had already been awake for a few hours.


This round’s discussion is now closed!
10 comments posted




Harley Rubens   Harley Rubens
Great Shot. How much did you pay them to pose for you. It is sharp, and well composed. Bravo.   Posted: 05/08/2022 12:20:21
Bruce Michelotti   Bruce Michelotti
Thanks Harley, they were quite active. I just waited till I though there was a good pose for the shot!   Posted: 05/16/2022 18:09:27



Mark McKinney   Mark McKinney
This is a great capture and to me it is special as it seems we have a mirror image. Symmetry is everything in a photo like this! Crop and composition excellent. Excellent depth of field. Five stars!   Posted: 05/08/2022 15:23:25
Bruce Michelotti   Bruce Michelotti
Thanks Mark.   Posted: 05/16/2022 18:09:51



Linda M Medine   Linda M Medine
(Group 77)
Bruce, WOW, These are beautiful. How did you get this image. SO sharp, great expression, storytelling and a winner. Great job. I have a visual feedback. I did the same thing with the Limpkin. I went into camera raw selected the subject and inverted the image and darkened the image to keep the birds head from blending int the background. I also took a radial tool in the right top corner to have a little light coming throught. Their eyes have a little catch light in them.   Posted: 05/10/2022 16:01:07
Comment Image
Bruce Michelotti   Bruce Michelotti
Thanks Linda, the darker background does make them stand out more. This was taken a a Rookery. All kinds of birds (and photographers) were there. Most everyone was concentrating on taking photos of the White Snowy Egrets with their flowing feathers. I saw these two putting on a little show like two siblings would do and they did not disappoint.   Posted: 05/16/2022 18:14:08



Leo Chow   Leo Chow
The birds with their feathers are both very sharp. They also stand out from the dark background. I also like the blurry background of your photo. Good catch and excellent photo!   Posted: 05/10/2022 20:03:32
Bruce Michelotti   Bruce Michelotti
Thank you Leo.   Posted: 05/16/2022 18:14:39



Andrew Lewis   Andrew Lewis
I love the energy in this image, Bruce. I think you captured a wonderful moment, and I think you need to give a workshop on how to get birds to pose for pictures. At first, I thought you had parts of the tree sticking up behind the herons' heads, then I realized they have bedhead! The light on the subjects is wonderful, right down to the catch lights in their eyes. You've separated them from their background well, and I really like the framing element that the leaves in the front give us. The only thing I'd do differently is to clone out the couple of bright spots in the background, in the upper right corner of the frame. Other than that, I really like this. Nice work!   Posted: 05/12/2022 06:51:58



Bruce Michelotti   Bruce Michelotti
Thanks Andrew, they certainly do have bed head. They put on quite a show for me when I was photographing them. Lots of fun. I agree about the hot spots, I will eliminate them on my next go around with this image.   Posted: 05/16/2022 18:17:07