Wildlife environmental portrait: I've come to realize that just zooming in and getting a close shot of most wildlife isn't tripping my trigger lately. So I've been working on trying to...

GregWCIL Loc: Illinois

I've come to realize that just zooming in and getting a close shot of most wildlife isn't tripping my trigger lately. So I've been working on trying to include some perspective-- their environment, their actions and/or their interactions with other wildlife. I'm open to suggestions.

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Laura72568 Loc: Anderson TX

I was doing this as well...moving from portrait style of the birds to environmental. I actually had a pro bird photographer tell me that she uses environmental shots for some of her books and magazine work. Great shot!

joehel2 Loc: Cherry Hill, NJ

My suggestion: keep doing this, it's beautiful. Including the habitat tells a fuller story, i.e. "paints" a complete picture.

Uuglypher Loc: South Dakota (East River)

GregWCIL wrote:

I've come to realize that just zooming in and getting a close shot of most wildlife isn't tripping my trigger lately. So I've been working on trying to include some perspective-- their environment, their actions and/or their interactions with other wildlife. I'm open to suggestions.

Your intent is laudable and it's a gorgeous image.
re: composition: I'd suggest crop from the top to juuuust above the top tips of grass (lose those distracting bright specular reflections) and crop a bit from the right to move the heron more to the right giving it more space on the left "to look into".

Dave

jerrylh Loc: Texas

I like what you did.

artwrkz Loc: Easley SC

Uuglypher wrote:

Your intent is laudable and it's a gorgeous image.
re: composition: I'd suggest crop from the top to juuuust above the top tips of grass (lose those distracting bright specular reflections) and crop a bit from the right to move the heron more to the right giving it more space on the left "to look into".

Dave

Love "those distracting bright specular refections" as it depicts water and sunlight. Keep em!

G Brown Loc: Sunny Bognor Regis West Sussex UK

There is a definite move away from wildlife shown in isolation to wildlife in its environment. BIF seems to me to be a 'technical' exercise rather than an aesthetic understanding of wild 'life'. The 'where' it lives adds so much more to 'what' it is.

I too like the image as posted and would keep the water reflections. (The OOF reed would be a major pain to remove...so leave that too)

have fun

GregWCIL Loc: Illinois

Thanks for all the critiques. I might play with a small crop off the right side but part of the memories for me were shooting the heron back-lit so the water highlights were part of the scene. I don't think there is a right/wrong answer to such a question I often struggle with trying to end up with what I recall vs. what might be the best "technical" result. I haven't attempted to remove the dark streak of the oof reed, but that might be beyond my abilities.

Edit to add: I did work on it in Lightroom and successfully cloned out the dark reed streak. I won't bother reposting the image. I also cropped just a bit off the right side, but when I flip back and forth between the two versions, the crop doesn't really make a difference IMO.

Weddingguy Loc: British Columbia - Canada

GregWCIL wrote:

I've come to realize that just zooming in and getting a close shot of most wildlife isn't tripping my trigger lately. So I've been working on trying to include some perspective-- their environment, their actions and/or their interactions with other wildlife. I'm open to suggestions.

Nice capture . . . wouldn't bother changing a thing!

10MPlayer Loc: California

I think you did a good job of capturing the crane in his natural environment. The intense greens of the reeds sets off the blues of the bird's feathers and the background water nicely. The spectral highlights add a dash of sparkling jewelry to the background. Put that together with the balanced composition and the sharp focus make for a fine wildlife image.

Nightski

Nice sharp shot, that wouldn't be easy with all that grass blowing around. I love animals shot in their environment like this ...hidden treasures I call them. My one issue with the shot is that the background is brighter than your subject. The subject should always have the best light. Don't know if you can accomplish this in post as it was an extremely difficult exposure shot. Sometimes with backlight like this I get luck and the bird turns it's head into the light giving me that little bit of light on the head and the catchlight in the eye. The eyes are not dark, though, and that's a plus.

GregWCIL Loc: Illinois

Nightski wrote:

Nice sharp shot, that wouldn't be easy with all th... (show quote)

Thanks everyone for taking the time to view and comment.
Yes, I know he was back-lit. I wish I lived near a spot like this so I could be there at the best light. As a side note: it was 97 there that day and for us northerners that was not comfortable at all. Our vantage point was a nice shaded shelter which, besides the comfort level, also kept us in the shadows so the birds were almost oblivious to our presence. I love traveling to these wonderful spots, but it means you are bound by what the light and weather is at the time.