Goliath Heron

Gallery: AvianPosted October 21, 2011218 views11 comments

Taken on the shores of Lake Kariba, Matusadona National Park, Zimbabwe, 29th September 2011

EOS 1D MkIV

500mm F4 IS hand-held from drifting boat

F7.1, ISO 400, 1/2500

Comments

11 comments

Comment posted by Hans Overduin on October 21, 2011 at 12:27 PM

Wonderful shot of this bird - the colors of the bird and the environment match very well. The little bird on the left is a nice detail as well. Only nit is the fact the the horizon is cutting the bird's throat - wonder how a lower perspective would look / have looked like (do know how much lower you could have positioned yourself in this boat though

) . That said, it is a great image as it is ! Cheers, Hans

Registered on August 31, 2011, 491 Posts, 3807 Comments

Comment posted by Kurt Bowman on October 21, 2011 at 4:21 PM

Good isolation and love the light and color in this Ken. If it were mine, I might be tempted to crop it to a vertical though. The horizon cutting across the throat doesn't bother me in the slightest bit.

Registered on June 19, 2008, 1005 Posts, 8028 Comments

Comment posted by John Tobias on October 21, 2011 at 9:49 PM

Really like the composition of this photo. Color and details are great! I agree the small bird does add something to the image, maybe provides some scale for the heron. I don't recall seeing a photo of one in the wild before. Thanks for sharing.

Registered on September 12, 2009, 2120 Posts, 6455 Comments

Comment posted by Ken Watkins on October 22, 2011 at 2:40 AM

Thanks for your comments, much appreciated

Hans,
Yese the horizon is a major nit for me but getting lower would be pretty difficult as the boat is allready pretty low

Kurt,

Your idea of a vertical is a good one I have done a repost

John,

Virtually all of my images (or at least the good ones) have been taken from a boat in Matusadona, it is definitely worth visiting.

Registered on December 15, 2010, 1537 Posts, 4877 Comments

Comment posted by Jim DeWitt on October 22, 2011 at 8:42 PM

The vertical comp is an improvement on an already strong shot. And that is one honking big heron. I'd be happy to have either shot in my portfolio.

What's the ID on the little shorebird?

Registered on August 28, 2006, 1240 Posts, 8506 Comments

Comment posted by Ken Watkins on October 23, 2011 at 12:35 AM

Jim,

Thanks very much for your kind comment, much appreciated

I think it is a Black Winged Stilt, but could not be certain

Registered on December 15, 2010, 1537 Posts, 4877 Comments

Comment posted by Howard Cheek on October 23, 2011 at 11:40 AM

Love this setting/environment, complimentary color, and the layered comp Ken.
LP looks tack sharp, great job on the exposure also.
I like both presentations, but prefer the vertical with the small bird bottom edge of frame out.
Well done!

Registered on July 24, 2008, 1201 Posts, 10758 Comments

Comment posted by Ken Watkins on October 23, 2011 at 10:56 PM

Howard,

Thanks very much for your comment, I prefer the vertical as well, a good idea from Kurt

Registered on December 15, 2010, 1537 Posts, 4877 Comments

Comment posted by David E Lester on October 23, 2011 at 11:22 PM

Super...just super!!!

Registered on March 24, 2010, 155 Posts, 793 Comments

Comment posted by Jim Hackley on October 25, 2011 at 11:47 AM

Nice job in getting this shot from the boat, I happen to like the landscape version which really shows the habitat and the crown hairdo, well done.

Registered on September 17, 2009, 302 Posts, 5535 Comments

Comment posted by Ken Watkins on October 26, 2011 at 12:13 AM

David and Jim,

Thanks for your comments, much appreciated.

Registered on December 15, 2010, 1537 Posts, 4877 Comments