Which image do you prefer: Taken within a split second of each other. Great egret.

vonzip Loc: cape cod

Taken within a split second of each other. Great egret.

(Download)

PaulBrit Loc: Merlin, Southern Oregon

The first!

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

Both are very good, I think I'd lean toward the first one.
--Bob

vonzip wrote:

Taken within a split second of each other. Great egret.

Tracy B. Loc: Indiana

2nd

blacks2 Loc: SF. Bay area

The first Erik.

Brenda IS Scottish Loc: GOLDEN Colorado

My vote is for the second..it fills the frame more, the wings position gives interesting thought to aerodynamics of flight. And the movement left to right flows gently one the eye

jeep_daddy Loc: Prescott AZ

Neither. The sun (light) is to harsh. Do your wildlife pictures either earlier in the morning or way late in the after noon or evening about 2 hours before sunset.

kpmac Loc: Ragley, La

I can't decide. Both are very good, vz.

vonzip Loc: cape cod

jeep_daddy wrote:

Neither. The sun (light) is to harsh. Do your wildlife pictures either earlier in the morning or way late in the after noon or evening about 2 hours before sunset.

These images were taken at 6:45 in the evening just a few days ago. vz

UTMike Loc: South Jordan, UT

The second because it is not as common and shows action, Erik. Of course, they are both first class work.

Electric Gnome Loc: Norwich UK

I like both but prefer the first image. I think you have been a victim of a bright evening and very blue sky with just the bird in it. I personally would have pulled the blues a little and done a small amount of dodging in the lighter areas of the bird. Finally a slightly tighter crop, I like the way the images play with the top left and bottom right corners of the image. I would be happy to post my interpretation if you would like me to. Great images but the weather was just too good!

vonzip Loc: cape cod

Electric Gnome wrote:

I like both but prefer the first image. I think you have been a victim of a bright evening and very blue sky with just the bird in it. I personally would have pulled the blues a little and done a small amount of dodging in the lighter areas of the bird. Finally a slightly tighter crop, I like the way the images play with the top left and bottom right corners of the image. I would be happy to post my interpretation if you would like me to. Great images but the weather was just too good!

Thanks Electric and go ahead with your interpretation. I'd like to see it. My edit skills are very weak. vz

Electric Gnome Loc: Norwich UK

vonzip wrote:

Thanks Electric and go ahead with your interpretation. I'd like to see it. My edit skills are very weak. vz

To be honest I am no master editor either but here's my edit. I don't think it is any better than your interpretation, just looks a bit more evening time which you may or may not like as the white egret is a tad yellow in my one. It reduces the blue in the bird mainly, and I have dodged the highlights to give a slightly warmer feeling.

(Download)

vonzip Loc: cape cod

Electric Gnome wrote:

To be honest I am no master editor either but here's my edit. I don't think it is any better than your interpretation, just looks a bit more evening time which you may or may not like as the white egret is a tad yellow in my one. It reduces the blue in the bird mainly, and I have dodged the highlights to give a slightly warmer feeling.

Well done. vz

vicksart Loc: Novato, CA -earthquake country

It's a tough call. I like both and am not bothered by the high contrast light which I believe in this case gives a sense of time of day. My take is that you see enough feather detail in the underside of the left wing (in both images) that you don't necessarily need to see it in the darker shadows. Would it be better to lighten the darker shadows? Maybe. It's a choice only you can make.