Red Grouse 2 (wet)

Gallery: AvianPosted August 31, 2011239 views16 comments

With the heather out at this time of year it acts as a great backdrop for these birds that live and forage in these locations. This one had been ferreting around after a downpour and with plumage rather bedraggled. surfaced when the shutter went off. With a slight breeze I guess this helped to get the heather a bit more diffused, not done in PS, all in camera.

Steve

Subject: Wet Red grouse in moorland, early morning (Lagopus lagopus)
Location: UK
Camera: Canon MKIII
Lens: 500f/4 plus 1.4x - handheld
Exposure: 1/1250s at f5.6 ISO400 0 stop compensation
Crop: Almost FF, slight crop (original capture vertical)

Comments

16 comments

Comment posted by keith mitchell on August 31, 2011 at 6:38 AM

Steve this is superb the bg is great as is the mushy bit in front of the bird with its wet feathers it's a cracker.

Keith.

Registered on July 12, 2008, 127 Posts, 1735 Comments

Comment posted by Angela McCain on August 31, 2011 at 8:54 AM

Really cool framing effect by the heather. Great detail in the peek-a-boo bird.

Registered on April 19, 2009, 367 Posts, 3589 Comments

Comment posted by Keith Bauer on August 31, 2011 at 9:10 AM

Wow. That image gets your attention. The color contrast with the grouse and the lavender color is really nice. Wonderful use of selective focus. The only thing that bothers me just a little is the almost centered composition. The eye is nearly in the center of the frame vertically. Personal taste, but I'd take some off the top for a more square presentation. A fantastic capture

Registered on November 20, 2003, 458 Posts, 4836 Comments

Comment posted by Darren Colello on August 31, 2011 at 11:56 AM

Steve, this is a real special image. WOW, thanks for sharing this absolute beauty. SUPERB!!

Registered on July 27, 2009, 175 Posts, 1100 Comments

Comment posted by David Haynes on August 31, 2011 at 12:41 PM

Jeez Steve. Sure could use some better color.

This is a very impressive image. It has magazine cover written all over it. Fantastic composition, very sharp and detailed, colors are superb, use of a perfect f/stop to blur the foreground and the background, a great pose with some intensity and curiosity in the gaze, and the three little stalks of in focus flowers just set this bird off. Contest winner for sure.

Registered on February 20, 2010, 110 Posts, 1511 Comments

Comment posted by Jenaya Launstein on August 31, 2011 at 1:41 PM

Great image! The grouse in the middle of all the pink really takes your attention to the bird. It looks like you have some great detail in the feathers, especially in the larger version. Just an amazing image altogether!

Registered on February 8, 2011, 254 Posts, 1302 Comments

Comment posted by Oscar Dewhurst on August 31, 2011 at 5:07 PM

This is fantastic Steve - super shot. The colours and oof fg and bg are great

Oscar

Registered on August 6, 2009, 85 Posts, 502 Comments

Comment posted by denise ippolito on August 31, 2011 at 5:20 PM

Steve, This is lovely. I like the Heather, colors and comp. Great looking image!

Registered on December 17, 2009, 202 Posts, 1529 Comments

Comment posted by Stephen Kaluski on August 31, 2011 at 5:25 PM

Thanks everyone, glad you like it and appreciate the positive feedback.

Hi Denise, small world isn't it, trust all is well at your end after the weekend, interesting to see AM's postings of Nicholson beach

Registered on March 25, 2007, 189 Posts, 1064 Comments

Comment posted by Ken Archer on August 31, 2011 at 6:21 PM

A beautiful way to frame a close-up grouse portrait. Sweet Photo Stephen

Ken Archer

Registered on October 28, 2004, 222 Posts, 6683 Comments

Comment posted by Gaurav Manglik on August 31, 2011 at 11:09 PM

beautiful portrait indeed

Registered on December 2, 2005, 191 Posts, 2126 Comments

Comment posted by Soubhik Patranabis on September 1, 2011 at 3:08 PM

Wonderful portrait - real nice bg and dof.

Registered on January 25, 2010, 54 Posts, 610 Comments

Comment posted by May Haga on September 2, 2011 at 10:54 AM

Fabulous setting Stephen. Excellent image. I like that just the head and shoulders of the grouse are visible.
May

Registered on February 22, 2007, 714 Posts, 8470 Comments

Comment posted by Fabio Giarrizzo on September 2, 2011 at 11:36 AM

A killer portrait, with awesome detail and a perfect composition- My congrats, Fabio

Registered on December 3, 2010, 90 Posts, 1614 Comments

Comment posted by Nate Chappell on September 3, 2011 at 12:24 AM

A wonderful portrait Stephen, the heather makes for a great frame.

Registered on February 1, 2006, 1158 Posts, 19528 Comments

Comment posted by Andrea Marzorati on September 5, 2011 at 6:41 AM

Awesome!! A fantastic portrait

Registered on December 1, 2005, 86 Posts, 589 Comments