Purple Gallinule

Gallery: AvianPosted April 18, 2012203 views9 comments

I just returned from a trip to Florida and was lucky to spend an early morning at Wakodahatchee Wetlands and Green Cay. For anyone who hasn't been they are really amazing and it feels like you are "cheating" since the birds are so plentiful and close - however it really allows you to make creative images with so many different opportunities.

This was my first time seeing this species (I picked up photos of 5 new species @ Wako that morning) so I was quite pleased with how it came out and really happy the bird was at eye-level.

Nikon D300s 300 f4 + 1.7X TC HH
f/6.7
1/1250s
ISO 320

Cropped to approximately 75% (took some off the bottom) normal adjustments in CS6 (beta)

- Luke

Comments

9 comments

Comment posted by Ron Bielefeld on April 18, 2012 at 6:18 PM

This is nice Luke. I like the overall comp. The bird is sharp with good light making the colors really show on the bird. BG works well here too. I am kind of undecided about the bulrush stem being so close the the eye, but the more I look at it the more I think it works for me.

Should have touched base with me while you were in the area. Would have been nice to shoot together.

Registered on December 6, 2008, 360 Posts, 7132 Comments

Comment posted by Richard Ditch on April 18, 2012 at 7:06 PM

Nice color, detail, light and composition.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 1031 Posts, 12705 Comments

Comment posted by Marsel van Oosten on April 19, 2012 at 7:34 AM

It's a great bird, but I'm afraid that for me the stem and the hard shadow crossing the head is very unfortunate.

Registered on March 9, 2004, 285 Posts, 2277 Comments

Comment posted by Rick Turner on April 19, 2012 at 3:13 PM

The colors are fantastic and sharp but the green stem ruins it for me.

Registered on February 18, 2012, 534 Posts, 2755 Comments

Comment posted by Basri Akcasoy on April 19, 2012 at 4:35 PM

Beautiful, colorful bird, nice Bg with natural green. TFS.

Registered on February 16, 2012, 118 Posts, 767 Comments

Comment posted by Geoff Powell on April 19, 2012 at 9:06 PM

Great bird. You were kind of in my neighborhood at Wako. It's a great place to get a wide variety of birds.

Registered on March 20, 2012, 21 Posts, 170 Comments

Comment posted by Richard Teller on April 19, 2012 at 9:43 PM

Great angle on a bird that is not easy to get at this angle. Great detail and color.

Registered on August 23, 2010, 1162 Posts, 6692 Comments

Comment posted by Dennis Plank on April 19, 2012 at 10:20 PM

Very cool, Luke. I like the way it's perching on the reed and the leaves make a great bg.

Registered on January 28, 2008, 1767 Posts, 23192 Comments

Comment posted by Jim DeWitt on April 22, 2012 at 5:13 PM

It always amazes me that those big, web by toes can cling to a narrow bulrush, and your feet shows it to great advantage. I'm afraid that's all I like about the bullrush; slicing up through the bird it's a serious distraction for me. Good work on that wonderful iridescence in this species.

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