Tom Brott
March 2025 - Egret Chicks
About the Image(s)
This image of Great Egret chicks was taken last year in the rookery at St Augustine Alligator Farm. I have been trying for years to catch an image of chicks eating and seeing the food. This is as close as I have come so far. Processed in Camera Raw, adjusting some sliders and I love the image so much I deleted a branch going through the right chick's head which disqualifies this as a true nature image.
Shot with Canon R5, 500mm, f/8, 1/1250 sec., ISO 640
This round’s discussion is now closed!
10 comments posted
(Group 25)
Hi Tom, amazing capture. Love the detail of the birds and the color! Thank you for the story and sharing the image. Posted: 03/12/2025 00:30:32
Great capture of these chicks. It would be nice to see the original image to better appreciate your edited version. I love the hair sticking up and the rather startled look in the eyes. I find the area to the right of the chick with the food and the area to the left of his neck and under the branch very unnatural. There looks to be part of another bird under the branch on the left. I'm feeling these might be artifacts from the limb removal but unsure without seeing the original. My eye wants to drift to the light cluttered background. I think burning that area and maybe adding a vignette would be beneficial. I think with a little more work you have a great image. Posted: 03/12/2025 14:48:34
Thank you and 2 original images have been attached Posted: 03/16/2025 14:43:37
I think you have captured a decisive moment, Tom. I admire your patience and persistence. Inmmy opion you have done a good job cloning out the distracting branch - I see no eecidence of clone tracks. Both subjects eyes are tack sharp which I know is often a challenge to accomplish. I too would like to see the unedited version to hlep me better appreciate how you have brought out the detail. Since you can't use this in Nature anyhow, why not consider a slight vignette to hold the viewer's eye in the frame. Posted: 03/13/2025 11:21:43
Thank you and 2 original images have been attached Posted: 03/16/2025 14:44:04
Wonderful image! I love the wild expression that these birds display. Their Dutch punk hairdos are marvelous. I cannot look at this image without smiling. The food is a bonus! I like the thatching and the green and brown colors in the background that mirror the colors in the bird, but they are too bright and therefore distracting. Since you have already tampered with the image, I would tone down the background. Posted: 03/13/2025 21:11:09
Several have asked to see original image. this was a heavily cropped image that I ran through GIGAPIXEL to get the Image to a usable size - ORIGINAL Posted: 03/16/2025 14:41:48
Through GIGAPIXEL Posted: 03/16/2025 14:42:21
How can those funny looking chicks grow into such a beautiful bird? This image made me smile, maybe it's the wild head feathers and startled look in their eyes. You could consider toning down the foreground just a bit. This is a very fun image. Posted: 03/17/2025 17:46:40
Wonderful image Tom. I love crazy hair chicks. My suggestion would be to flightless add more blur to the background, darkening the highlights there as well. That, and a subtle vignette would emphasize the subjects. Nice work. Posted: 03/20/2025 16:10:02