new guy posting

[wmchauncey]

For the most part I will be posting images that have been reasonability well received on other sites. Consider these to be my moving up to the august site.
To exhibit my thick skin let us start with one, although it's for humor and not C&C, it does prove that sometimes "timing is everything".



Now that my attempt at levity is out of the way...what say you about this one?



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[AFairley]

I almost made like #1 when I saw #2.     Simply stunning.  Would like to know a little bit more about the light involved.

[wmchauncey]

The light involved was purely the result of Photoshop with numerous layers...it was taken as the last in a series that started with the "indelicate" image.     

[Eric Myrvaagnes]

If the bird in the first is offering a comment on the second photo, he's a poor critic. The second one is superb.

[Tony Jay]

If the bird in the first is offering a comment on the second photo, he's a poor critic. The second one is superb.

Yes it is!

Tony Jay

[wmchauncey]

FYI...they're the same bird, he just took off after the fish. 

[RSL]

Very nice, William. You're not telling us, but considering the great egrets I'm guessing you're in Florida.

[wmchauncey]

You would be incorrect...live in SE Michigan.  We have a low water table and every apartment building has a pond with at least one egret or G B Heron dwelling therein.

[Jeremy Roussak]

I'll join in the chorus: the second shot is wonderful.

More!

Jeremy

[RSL]

You would be incorrect...live in SE Michigan.  We have a low water table and every apartment building has a pond with at least one egret or G B Heron dwelling therein.

That's great. I grew up in Ferndale, married a girl from Pleasant Ridge, spent my summers in Lewiston (Montmorency county), had relatives all over the state, but I never saw an egret or a great blue. But now that I spend winters in Florida I've collected hundreds of shots of egrets, great blues, little blues, snowy egrets, wood storks, etc., etc.

Anyway, very nice shots. I'll vote for #2.

[BernardLanguillier]

I love the second one!

I am not sure what lens/aperture you used for the first one, but I find the bokeh to be distracting to such an extend that it ruins the image.

cheers,
Bernard

[wmchauncey]

All of my bird images are shot using a 300mm f/2.8 @ f/4 mounted on a 1DsMk3.  I don't know how the bokeh could be improved on.