I know this is an expert editing contest, but this is a single shot and I only used advanced editing steps. I'm sure it won't ribbon but I really liked it, hope a few other at least do also. It was taken in Cuyahoga Valley National Park in the morning.
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Ah! A heron! What magnificent colors! How fine the detail in its feathers! I love looking at birds and stalking them with my camera. They are often difficult subjects...even herons who seem to pose... The watery environment they inhabit poses obstacles for the photographer attempting the best composition. Their intentness on fishing suddenly moves them to action and the moment is gone before the focus is fixed.
I like this image. I like the character of the bird...it's frozen stance and gaze. To isolate the subject better a more limited depth of field would help. But even with that you're fighting the darkness of the log behind the subject and the merger of the beak with the line of that log would still exist. I think that the left hand portion of the image has little to offer...perhaps cropping it out and creating a square format would bring the viewer's attention back where the interest of the image lies? Even within the advanced (not expert) editing rules the background could be slightly desaturated, again with the intent of placing emphasis on the heron.
Overall, a well done image at a beautiful time of day!
Keep stalking!
--Kadi
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