Green Heron #2 in wetland/pond area

[dalethorn]

I wish it were better rez, but I liked the look so much, I decided to add it here anyway.

[RSL]

I like it too, Dale, but I do think that rez is important in this kind of picture. I don't know what kind of lens you're shooting with, but I found my 70-300 VR helps a lot for this kind of thing, where the critter's so skittish that you just can't get close in. That lens is for a Nikon, but I'm pretty sure something similar is available for your camera.

[dalethorn]

I like it too, Dale, but I do think that rez is important in this kind of picture. I don't know what kind of lens you're shooting with, but I found my 70-300 VR helps a lot for this kind of thing, where the critter's so skittish that you just can't get close in. That lens is for a Nikon, but I'm pretty sure something similar is available for your camera.

Resolution is nearly everything I think, but that word nearly sure makes the exceptions.  My 45-200 (90-400 equiv.) lens isn't the thing that's recommended for bird photography, but then the only alternative I see is getting a longer lens made for the Pana G1, that I can carry around and shoot handheld.  I've had lots of experience hanging around with the tripod people, which is great for landscapes, but not my choice for birds.  For some odd reason, I could approach birds much closer in Bolsa Chica - a tiny patch of desert at one end of Huntington Beach - than I've been able to do in Ohio.  Maybe I'll have better luck in the Charleston area in a couple of months.

[JeffKohn]

You might not be able to make a good print given the resolution, but it's still a nice image. It's a strong composition, and the lighting is also very nice. The water provides an unobtrusive background behind the bird, and a hint of reflection at the bottom to add some interest.