Double-crested Cormorant Headshot

Comments are appreciated, especially those with constructive

criticism.

 

This Cormorant was one of many on Everglades NP Anhinga Trail in the

late afternoon. The birds are especially tolerant of people there, so

getting close was no extrodinary feat of stalking.

great closeup wildlife work

Good sharpness and detail. Well done.

Suave and colorful. The eye is perhaps just a little dim. Personally, shamelessly, I would've picked it up a bit in Photoshop. But possibly you didn't want to break up the elegant profile.

 

The mottled, clearly hooked and linty beak is a welcome touch. Those minuscule fragments add a whole dimension of reality to the shot.

I don't think there is anything wrong with the eye. The bird's expression is ambiguous enough to give the photograph lasting interest past the initial delight its composition and colours afford. Speaking generally now, I think most of your photographs share the same rigourous intent and careful consideration that you display in your commentaries: in both cases the results are usually pleasing and enlightening.

I think this is an excellent photograph. Congratulations.

Very fine composition.

A wonderful photo.

 

I like the mother-of-pearl beak. What a great effect that. And the rapaciousness of the beak. And the orange peel coloring.

 

I wonder if the texture of the feathers could have been enhanced, it seems a little blurry or overexposed; but maybe it's the bird's fault for not using conditioner that day.

 

I also wonder if giving a little extra legroom to the beak would work. It is such a fine speciment to be cropped so closely; the eye as it travels down the curve of the bird almost falls out of the picture - like that errant skijumper they had on ABC's Wide World of Sports.

Thanks, Slava. This is one of my personal favorites for the humble reason that it reminds me both of my home and a vacation I took. (Plus, I love birds.) I see cormorants near my home, but never this close.

 

Any lack of sharpness on the feathers is due to my publishing choices. You'll have to take my word that the feathers on the original are tack sharp. Sadly, the rightmost side of the beak is softer. The bird must have twitched as I shot. Technical note: I shot this close-up and wide-open from a tripod using mirror lock-up and the self-timer. (I lacked a cable release at the time. Using the timer for even slightly moving subject matter is not a fun way to shoot.)

 

If I were to do this over again I would include more space to the right of the beak, in part so it wouldn't be so snug, but mostly to make cropping for 8x10" enlargements tolerable.

A beaut. Great contrast and colours. I like the crop and the backgroundcolour matches nicely with the subject. "classic" portrait :)