Sharon Prislipsky, APSA, EPSA
July 2025 - Scratch That Itch
Original
About the Image(s)
We had not seen Reddish Egrets at South Padre Island for several years, so I was pleased when a few turned up this year. Unfortunately, they were only in close when the tide was out and when the tide was out the light was bright and contrasty, so getting the correct exposure was a challenge. On top of that is was extremely windy. I wish the tail feathers were sharper, but even at a very high shutter speed they are a bit out of focus. However, I though the pose and the eye carried the image.
Canon R5; Canon 100-500mm lens with 1.4 teleconverter; handheld.
ISO 2500; 1/4000 sec.; f/10
Cropped, tone curve adjusted and hue, saturation and luminance adjustements in LR; dodge and burn in PS; Polarization and tonal contrast applied in Color Efex Pro. Let me know what you think.
7 comments posted
I think your capture of this beautiful bird and post processing are well done. Even though the tail feathers are not sharp I think the sharpness of the head and eye are the key elements. The implied action of scratching adds to the story. Even though the head and face are in shadow there is still nice detail. I like the drop of water falling from the foot. There is a spot of white just below and at the base of the bill that I would suggest removing. Well done. Posted: 07/14/2025 01:29:05
One of my favorite birds to photograph. Under the described lighting conditions you did a wonderful job in capturing the beautiful mating plumage and colors of the head and neck. I like the drop of water coming off the foot and the colors of the beak, lore and eye which to me make this image. Nice work. Posted: 07/14/2025 14:46:59
Very nice capture of this Egret with the movement of the leg and the eye holding my attention. The textures of the feathers really stand out and the tail feathers not being sharp doesn't detract. Processing in ColorEfex Pro and your other adjustments have made the image more dynamic to me. My only critique for me would have been not to have cropped so tightly especially on the left hand side to give more space around the beak but that is a preference. Posted: 07/16/2025 21:51:37
Very nice capture of this Egret with the movement of the leg and the eye holding my attention. The textures of the feathers really stand out and the tail feathers not being sharp doesn't detract. Processing in ColorEfex Pro and your other adjustments have made the image more dynamic to me. My only critique for me would have been not to have cropped so tightly especially on the left hand side to give more space around the beak but that is a preference. Posted: 07/16/2025 21:51:37
Nice shot of my favorite egret. I like the pose. The tail feathers don't bother me a bit. I like how you have the subject standing out against a nice blue. I agree with Ally that a little bit more room on the left might be an improvement, but I'd have to see it to be sure. If this were mine, I might try to tone down the highlights on the neck feathers and bring out more of the color that I know is there. Great breeding plumage.
Posted: 07/16/2025 23:01:36
Posted: 07/16/2025 23:01:36
The more I study this remarkable image the more I see. The light brought my attention right to the head feathers which in turn led me to that eye and down the beak where my attention shifted to the expressive claw and the drop of water caught in its mid air descent. The soft rear feathers on the right suggest wind and add to the action on the left. The clarity of the front half of the bird and water rings reveals details that draw the viewer right into the image. The colors and tones are particularly pleasing against the blue water. You captured a wonderful moment that conveys a behavorial and humorous story that makes me smile. Posted: 07/22/2025 20:40:00
Another beautiful image. I like the droplet at the end of the bill and to my eye, the slightly blurry tail feathers provides a bit of depth. My only comment is to provide some space on the bottom of the image for the underwater foot. Posted: 07/25/2025 18:33:40