Purple Heron

Gallery: AvianPosted October 23, 2011241 views9 comments

Captured this image the other day at a local nature reserve. My first decent sighting of this species.

Techs:
Nikon D3s with Nikkor 500mm f4 VR-II + 1.4xTC @ 700mm
f5.6 @ 1/3200 SS @ ISO-1600

Comments

9 comments

Comment posted by Philip Hodgkins on October 23, 2011 at 5:46 AM

Fair detail and a wonderful pose. A little bit of overkill on the SS.

Registered on July 24, 2006, 2741 Posts, 12349 Comments

Comment posted by Morkel Erasmus on October 23, 2011 at 8:31 AM

Thanks Phil...it's not overkill with the ISO capabilities of the D3s

, rather safe than sorry I say

Registered on March 22, 2011, 385 Posts, 2068 Comments

Comment posted by Charlie Baugh on October 23, 2011 at 10:48 AM

Beautiful angle to this birds flight. I love this in every way. Stopped the action dead.

Registered on April 18, 2011, 329 Posts, 1985 Comments

Comment posted by Howard Cheek on October 23, 2011 at 11:22 AM

I like the comp and flight pose a lot Morkel, great details, colors, & POV.
Hard to believe the ISO here. Canon has the new 1D X full frame 18 MP sensor out now, sure wish I could swing it..
Nice shade of blue for your BG, well done!

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

Comment posted by Ray Whitt on October 23, 2011 at 3:16 PM

Love the wing position and the light is wonderful.

Ray

Registered on May 27, 2011, 92 Posts, 2619 Comments

Comment posted by Ashley Vincent on October 23, 2011 at 9:34 PM

We have Purple Heron over here in Thailand too, however, for all the attempts I've made thus far I've yet to capture a shot that comes anywhere close to the excellence of your one here! Absolutely fantastic Morkel, very well done :^)

Registered on March 1, 2011, 154 Posts, 2083 Comments

Comment posted by Nate Chappell on October 24, 2011 at 12:46 AM

It's a very dynamic take off pose with wonderful colors and lighting. To my eye the head and neck don't seem as tack sharp as the wings, maybe stopping down a little bit would have helped with that. Sweet shot Morkel

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

Comment posted by Morkel Erasmus on October 24, 2011 at 2:07 AM

Thanks guys.

Nate, you are right and I actually forgot to mention that in posting...this was my first outing a few months ago with my new camera/lens combo and I had not yet fully come to terms with the DOF characteristics at f4.0 and f5.6 - I wish I had been on f8!

Registered on March 22, 2011, 385 Posts, 2068 Comments

Comment posted by David Hemmings on October 24, 2011 at 12:12 PM

Fantastic!

Registered on May 26, 2006, 178 Posts, 1680 Comments