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Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Backlighting III (Basic Editing)
Collection: 2007
Camera: Konica Minolta Maxxum 5D
Lens: Sigma 400mm f/5.6 APO
Location: Rappahannock River - Virginia
Date: Aug 18, 2007
Aperture: f7.1
ISO: 200
Shutter: 1/100
Galleries: Nature, Animals
Date Uploaded: Aug 19, 2007

 RSE 2006
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PSP X
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The herons didn't cooperate 100%. :) There's a spot on the river I can usually count on a few herons showing up. Most of the time they make their way into the slow current on the edge of the river in a rocky area. Sun comes up and they are nicely illuminated with a golden glow around them. Not the case this morning.

I spooked one on the way in (doesn't take much for them to scram - nearly as bad as whitetail deer!) This heron came in about 200 feet from me, moved into this position, and then didn't move for 30 minutes. During this time I waited for the early sun to clear the treeline on the bank. Not moving a bit...had a squirrel come within 10 feet of me (I was wearing camoflauge) and never saw me. Thought for sure it was going to chatter and rat me out. :P

Finally the sun worked some light magic and I grabbed some shots. Stayed in manual focus to keep any noise (lens hunting, etc...) down.

My first official outing with the new (to me) SIGMA 400 Prime I picked up. Fairly pleased with the results overall. Wish the lighting was more of a true backlighting setup instead of side lighting. Wonder how gracious the voters will be on that? I predict the most comments will be about the white patch near the herons legs. Sure wish I could touch that up a bit. :)

Statistics
Place: 175 out of 202
Avg (all users): 4.8543
Avg (commenters): 5.0000
Avg (participants): 4.6167
Avg (non-participants): 4.9568
Views since voting: 1358
Views during voting: 253
Votes: 199
Comments: 5
Favorites: 0

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AuthorThread
 Comments Made During the Challenge
Canon EOS-30D
Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS USM
 08/28/2007 12:19:35 AM
not sharp
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-60D
Canon EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM
 08/27/2007 01:45:55 PM
would have been much better if bird was closer
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-5D
Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0 L IS
 08/26/2007 10:43:00 PM
Could use a tighter crop, and a little more focus.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Nikon D2Xs
Nikon AF-S DX Zoom Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8G IF-ED
 08/22/2007 03:18:06 PM
Nice image - Love the lighting but this could have been a much stronger image if the cropping was tighter or a longer lens used. Even just cropping off the top of the reeds to just below the rock really helps. Makes you concentrate on the heron.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-40D
Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di for Canon
 08/22/2007 01:09:29 PM
Composition is nice, but slightly OOF. Colors could use a bump too, especially the brown at the top of the shot. It might be better with that brown area cropped right off, toi just below the big rock. Not sure that your focus would allow that much cropping however. 5 from me, and keep at it. You have a good eye - just need to work on the technicals (same as me...)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
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