Great Egret Portrait

Please let me know what you think...

Beautiful shot

Thanks for the uplifting remark.

wow...

Great background and lighting. This really captures the beauty of the egret.

Just excellent!

Very good capture. I like the positioning and lighting of your subject.

Hmmm. I've been considering the same lens you used here. This looks like a good example of its potential.

Thank you all for your compliments.

 

The lighting was natural, but the background was created in PSP 8. There was too much going on in the background (highlights reflecting off the water, tall grass, etc.) and I thought that it was too good of a picture to waste. I also wanted to learn how to mask an image and change the background. This was the first time that I have tried this, so I have been encouraged by the results and your wonderful remarks.

 

The Sigma 50-500mm f4-6.3 EX APO RF HSM lens (or Bigma for short) is a great lens. I can't say enough about it. It is probably the best lens that I have ever owned. I have never owned some of the "big glass" (e.g., Canon L-series lenses), so I can't compare. But then again, I didn't spend thousands of dollars either.

 

You can see some more examples of the lens in the rest of my portfolio. Most of the nature shots were taken with this lens.

 

I love the composition, lighting, clarity and colors. It is work like this that inspires me to someday own own a digital SLR, and a Big Ass Zoom Lens. In my previous incarnation as a photo-hobbist, I could not afford OEM long lenses(I have a contax SLR) Your picture convinces me that Great pictures of Great or small egrets are not about expensive equipment, bout about a photographer's eye and technique. Thanks for sharing.

The background really makes this shot. I wouldn't have guessed that it was added afterwards - which I think is the way it should be. Great portrait.