Cormorant Portrait

[FootLoose]

I snapped this bird on several occasions over the last 6 months but it is so skittish I found it difficult to obtain a shot with acceptable focus. It generally hangs about in an isolated location - presumably, so it can see who or what is coming from every direction - and the closer I approached the more it darted its head about and foiled my efforts. (A 3-shot burst at 1/1000s will have the head in 3 very different positions!)

On the occasion of this shot, I happened upon it by chance. It was perched on a rock about 20m from me and its feet were about my eye-height. Perhaps it was a little more relaxed for being above me (although it was still jerking its head about). But this made a rather drab context: ugly brown rocks either side and below it, and only blue sky above and behind. So, I have cropped the frame aggressively to give some power to the subject. I would appreciate any comments on the framing of he subject, but all c&c welcome.

The first shot is full frame and the second the crop.

#1





#2 (Best viewed full size)





f/9 1/1000s iso 100 ev -0.67 250mm processed in DxO Optics Pro 9; ACDsee Pro 7; Perfect Photo Resize

[Saorsa]

That's a very nice bird portrait.

That's actually a very similar bird called an Anhinga. It's one of the few birds that I can easily recall it's scientific name.

The cormorant is very similar in size and appearance but has a bit of a hook at the end of it's beak. It catches it's food by grabbing while the anhinga catches it's by stabbing.

[NorthernFocus]

I think that is what you folks call an australasian darter (aka anhinga elsewhere).

Techs are really handled well on this shot. IMO it coud do with an even tighter crop removing most of the body leaving head and neck. That's the interesting part. The body looks a bit odd between the perspective angle and being cut in half. Nice shot.

[pnodrog]

As Dan indicates you have nailed technically. The original definitely needed cropping but I wonder if a portrait crop with a bit more of the wing included may work better. No matter what crop you do the perspective will be one of looking up at it.

Obviously taken in nicer weather than the Scots have been moaning about..

[FootLoose]

Saorsa and Dan, you are right, it is an Australasian Darter. ( http://birdlife.org.au/bird-profile/australasian-darter ) I didn't know that, I have always called them shags. I will try to amend the thread title so I don't mislead anyone else.

Dan, I agree the head is the most interesting part of the picture and I have cropped a bit closer and I think I like this better.

Paul, I tried a portrait crop but I didn't like it. The white breast / belly becomes too dominant for my taste. I think the tighter landscape preserves the S-curve in the head and neck that I like in this shot.

[pnodrog]

The above crop works very well. Great character in that watchful eye.

[NorthernFocus]

Awesome.

[FrankMi]

I think the tighter landscape preserves the S-curve in the head and neck that I like in this shot.

I do as well Greg. Particularly with the sparkle of catch light in the eye and the feather detail against the blue sky!

[deetheturk]

Great image Greg,much better with the crop!

[IzzieK]

Lovely, Greg...I agree. The second crop certainly made it better. Love the eyes...

[Brownbear]

Gorgeous!

[Saorsa]

Saorsa and Dan, you are right, it is an Australasian Darter. ( http://birdlife.org.au/bird-profile/australasian-darter ) I didn't know that, I have always called them shags. I will try to amend the thread title so I don't mislead anyone else.

Dan, I agree the head is the most interesting part of the picture and I have cropped a bit closer and I think I like this better.

Paul, I tried a portrait crop but I didn't like it. The white breast / belly becomes too dominant for my taste. I think the tighter landscape preserves the S-curve in the head and neck that I like in this shot.

I like this better than the original. The sky may be a couple of shades too dark. A little lighter and it would be a better contrast to the bird.

[davidedric]

Those are some excellent portraits - pin sharp with good feather detail. I don't think I've managed to get that close.

Incidentally, there are at least four species of Darter:

American: anhinga anhinga

Autralasian: anhinga novaehollandiae (as above)

African: anhinga rufa

Oriental: anhinga melangoster

I find it fascinating how these birds populate the planet

Dave

[FootLoose]

Paul, Dan, Frank, David, Isabel, Christina, Saorsa, Dave thanks for viewing and commenting.

Dave, while Pelicans are my favourite bird I am going to pay closer attention to the others that haunt the local area since I have been shown that they are not all the same eg cormorant v anhinga

Saorsa thanks for the suggestion about the sky, that is not something I would have thought about. I have lightened it a shade and it does look better on my screen. I hope it looks the same here.