Goofball GBH

Canon 1D Mark III
Tamron 200-500mm 5-6.3 @ 500mm
1/1000 sec @ F/6.3 ISO 400

I was working this image that I liked because of the unique perspective of a head on shot of a Great Blue Heron. The full frame shows his full height head to toe. As I zoomed in to sharpen I saw just how goofy this guy really looked and actually laughed out loud! He looks like I do when I first wake up and see my self in the mirror!!!!

Of course this is a heavy crop and not that great of a shot technically but I still like it anyhoo!!

Sometimes my mug looks like this in the morning too! (actually... too often)

I wonder if the background adds to the perceprion of it being haggardly. Is the bokeh natural? It just looks a bit different.

Rick,
Was this shot at the RNR--I think saw this guy there last weekend.
JG

Erik the bokeh is an effect of the Tamron 200-500mm F/5.0-6.3 lens @ 500mm & F/6.3. So that means it was wide open at 500mm. An unique effect for sure. But do know that the image above is about 25% of full frame.

Jack this was indeed taken at Ridgefield NWR but I have to say that on this day we saw at least 10 different Great Blue Herons. I have another image of a GBH at Ridgefield NWR that I will post soon that is much more appealing.

Rick, Love the dumbfounded look. Seems to be a trait of the heron family so they can see around that beak. Here is a similar over-cropped shot of an American Bittern I took that same Sat we were all at Ridgefield.

Jerry Roseburrough
Washougal, WA

Rick--I think we saw the same bird. I am pretty picky on heron images since I have so many. The background is as important to me as the bird and this one is pretty bad. I did shoot a frame or 2 of the heron since the plumage was pretty neat.
JG

I did get this one of a great egret. It's a pain not blowing out the whites on a sunny day, while trying to keep everything else OK. To me this the whites here are pretty blown out, but the bird was pretty cooperative. I need to get back there when its a bit more cloudy!
JG

lol...that guy sure is funny lookin. Nice capture Rick! Its really good to see some pics rollin in from ya...

Yes, he sure is a funny looking guy. Interesting capture Rick.

Great face forward shot! Too bad its a major crop for it would make a great print. I never knew any of you guys were into bird photography. Don't know where I've been. 4 birds in one thread.