Young Heron on the Potomac

[shots worth sharing]

<p>I took a stroll down the C&O tow path and down to the Potomac this past Sunday morning and came upon a young heron wading a back channel. It looks almost exactly like the juvenile Yellow-Crowned Night Herons I saw recently on my local stream (although I've spent a <em>lot</em> of time on the Potomac over the years and can't recall ever seeing an adult YCNH. Anyway, he was unperturbed by my presence so I was able to get a nice feeding series using the DA*300mm & AF 1.7x TC on a monopod [1/400s, f9, ISO 640].</p>

<p>The photos (lightly sharpened in FastStone batch conversion and cropped from 6:4 landscape to 4:5 portrait) are <a href="http://dadipentak.smugmug.com/Nature/Young-Heron-on-the-Potomac/13095445_Nwvsv#949338357_6XXME">here</a>.</p>

[jgredline]

<p>Dave, The entire series is very cool, but I really love the 3rd one. Well done. 8-)</p>

[miserere_mei]

<p>Wow, he really didn't care about you! Nice series, Dave. And I suppose you're quite happy with the DA* + 1.7x TC combination, huh?</p>

[shots worth sharing]

<p>Thanks, Javier!</p>

 

<blockquote>

<p>And I suppose you're quite happy with the DA* + 1.7x TC combination, huh?</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Did I neglect to mention that? ;~)</p>

[hinman]

<p>Dave, wonderful series. I can see the joy from his/her eyes in swallowing up that fish. Well done my friend. What sort of mono-pod and head are you using with a the DA* + 1.7x TC and your K20D. Thanks!</p>

[ukhov]

<p>One more onlooker to the great spectacle. Very bubbling with life sketch.</p>

[starvy]

<p>Beautiful creature and a nice capture by you. I never seem to get close enough to the Grey Heron down the bay.</p>

[MattB.Net]

<p>Fantastic! I'm also a big fan of #3, not that the others aren't also great.</p>

[markus maurer]

<p>Great results from that lens combination and your patience Dave. I had to look up Potomac :-)</p>

[personalphotos]

<p>Dave one of your best bird series to date. You're getting very good with that combo. Well done!</p>

[shots worth sharing]

<p>Thanks, folks! It was a bit strange being in that area without a fly rod but well worth it--and a real treat to encounter a bird who just went about his business while I shot. </p>

[michael_elenko]

<p>Dave, what a great scene to have unfold before your eyes and hands! Very nice.</p>

<p>I had the good fortune to encounter another Pentax K20D shooter at an outdoor concert last week. He had the DA* 300mm attached and was kind enough to let me have a go for a while. Nice handling and smooth, responsive focus. Even handheld it seemed manageable. A professional optic indeed.</p>

<p>For your images I suggest upping the contrast, especially since the heron is seemingly designed for it. Increase clarity and sharpening too. Tad more brightness, and a healthy dose of NR--try +45 in ACR. Move the color balance toward magenta about +15. This will result in a more striking separation from the very well framed backgound.</p>

<p>Kudos!</p>

<p>ME</p>

[shots worth sharing]

<p>Thanks, Michael! I appreciate the suggestions--I'll give those adjustments a try. I was conservative in my pp adjustments, following the "Do no Harm" rule." Also, I wanted to maintain a consistent treatment in the series so I batch converted in FastStone (I don't know how to do that in ACR/PSE), so I didn't have access to the more advanced controls I do when I pp photos individually.</p>

[shots worth sharing]

<p>Sorry, Hin--I knew there was an unanswered question. I use a Manfrotto 234RC monopod head: it's simple, sturdy and relatively in expensive. Although it's only rated to 6lbs, I've even used it (very carefully) with the A*400mm f2.8 but I can't really recommend that and have bought a beefier Giottos for that lens. </p>

[wtlwdwgn]

<p>Wow Dave, fantastic results with the 300 + 1.7. I sold my 300 as I found it either too long or too short in my photography. Of course I now have a really bad case of seller's remorse. 8~(</p>

[shots worth sharing]

<p>Thanks, Steve! It did take me quite a while before I understood how to use this lens to best advantage. I agree that 300mm is sort of neither hear not there (or at least puts a serious premium on getting very close if you're shooting wildlife.) Matched up with high quality TCs, however, it's a gem. </p>