A perfect model

Gallery: AvianPosted April 17, 2014129 views19 comments

Another photo taken from my short visit to Cuba in December 2013. The photo is of a Melanistic Green Heron. These herons seem to be permanent residents at the Sol hotel in Santa Maria Cuba. They were accessible in the front gardens of the hotel entrance, throughout the week. I seemed to be the only person who was watching the bird and was taking lots of photos. Photo was edited in Photoshop, no crop.

Click on link to view larger image:
http://natureshues.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/melanisticgreenheron051.jpg

EF400mm f/5.6L USM
iso 1000
1/400
f 5.6L

For a larger selection of photos of the bird, please have a look at:

http://everything-nature.com/2013/12/20/photo-op-melanistic-green-heron/

Comments

19 comments

Comment posted by SandyRichardsBrown on April 17, 2014 at 12:41 AM

Great bird! Were there several melanistic ones?
Fine detail, complimentary BG and bright eye.
I see from the other images that the white bit near the leg is an errant white feather - but, in this shot one can't tell, and it detracts, imo, and you might want to clone it out.
Nice find!
Sandy

Registered on November 24, 2003, 3937 Posts, 12909 Comments

Comment posted by Scott Frye on April 17, 2014 at 1:47 AM

Handled the blacks well -- but I'm too fond of the oof foreground -- good looking bird

Registered on February 3, 2007, 387 Posts, 1136 Comments

Comment posted by Hans Overduin on April 17, 2014 at 6:28 AM

Nice and mysteriously looking image! Cheers, Hans

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

Comment posted by John Jeevaratnam on April 17, 2014 at 9:57 AM

Thank you Sandy. I have seen only 2 melanistic Green Herons. Not certain of they are male or female however if they were a pair they might be breeding.

I have updated the cloned out feather:
http://natureshues.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/melanisticgreenheron022.jpg

Registered on July 29, 2013, 112 Posts, 229 Comments

Comment posted by John Jeevaratnam on April 17, 2014 at 9:58 AM

Thank you Hans.

Registered on July 29, 2013, 112 Posts, 229 Comments

Comment posted by John Jeevaratnam on April 17, 2014 at 10:00 AM

Thank you Scott. I am not too fond of the foreground either, I'll see if I can get another angled shot.

Registered on July 29, 2013, 112 Posts, 229 Comments

Comment posted by John Jeevaratnam on April 17, 2014 at 10:06 AM

updated:

Larger image

http://natureshues.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/melanisticgreenheron022.jpg

Registered on July 29, 2013, 112 Posts, 229 Comments

Comment posted by Dennis Plank on April 17, 2014 at 10:20 AM

Superb detail, John, and a nice typical pose.

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

Comment posted by Philip Hodgkins on April 17, 2014 at 3:02 PM

The revision really steps up. Good detail and pose. For some reason the legs really tickle me. They make me think of "vacation pants"—something you would wear only on a tropical vacation.

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

Comment posted by Rick Cloran on April 17, 2014 at 5:21 PM

Nice capture. The Heron looks excellent. If I modified anything it would be to eliminate the line along the BG the runs behind its head. You can probably heal it out of existence except right near the Heron's body and maintain a sense of tonal transition. Thanks for sharing this. I had never seen a melanistic one before.

Registered on April 6, 2004, 119 Posts, 1989 Comments

Comment posted by Ken Archer on April 17, 2014 at 11:27 PM

Super Cool Bird John

Nice colors, excellent details.

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

Comment posted by John Jeevaratnam on April 18, 2014 at 12:33 AM

Thank you Ken.

Registered on July 29, 2013, 112 Posts, 229 Comments

Comment posted by John Jeevaratnam on April 18, 2014 at 12:33 AM

Thank you Dennis.

Registered on July 29, 2013, 112 Posts, 229 Comments

Comment posted by John Jeevaratnam on April 18, 2014 at 12:34 AM

Thank you Phil, the legs look like they can use a layer of lotion, lol.

Registered on July 29, 2013, 112 Posts, 229 Comments

Comment posted by John Jeevaratnam on April 18, 2014 at 12:36 AM

Thank you Rick,

Updated

http://natureshues.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/melanisticgreenheron051.jpg

Registered on July 29, 2013, 112 Posts, 229 Comments

Comment posted by Kurt Bowman on April 18, 2014 at 11:40 PM

This is one super cool bird John and I also have never seen one until now, so thanks for sharing. I like this comp better then the latest one you posted with there being just a bit more room in front of the bird.

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

Comment posted by Matt Shellenberg on April 19, 2014 at 11:57 PM

Very good image quality John. Plenty of detail in the Heron. The Out of Focus foreground is a bit distracting, but overall a very nice image.