This is one of those, “Do you like it?”, type of shots. This is a Chinese (or Java) Pond Heron, shot in northern Vietnam. This rice paddy was being flooded next to the cabin we were in at Tam Coc Gardens. As the water flooded the fields, many wading birds arrived. I assume they were after worms, insects, etc, that were being driven out of the ground and vegetation from the rising waters. This was taken at sunset with much smoke in the air to the west from agricultural fires; the colors are real-they have not been “Photoshopped”. Unfortunately I could not get down lower for a better POV. Processed in PS with heron brought up slightly. About 75% crop.
Chinese Pond-Heron
Country Viet Nam
Location Tam Coc Garden
Gender Unknown
Age Adult
Activity Feeding in the Wild, In or By Water
- Created Timestamp12/23/2024 00:02:08
- CameraCanon EOS R5
- Aperture10
- CreditJim and/or Deb Babbitt
- CaptionChinese Pond Heron
- Copyright2024
- Focal Length700
- Iso800
- Shutter Speed1/1000
Knowing what caused it to be that color makes it an interesting shot.
Thanks for looking and commenting. Yes, the color looks “fake” so I thought it necessary to explain the likely reason for the extreme color cast.
This is, naturally, a very subjective call. An interesting shot, but I am inclined to want to crop it a bit more, if the image would stand up to that—which at 75% already, might not be feasible.. Also, a silhouette of nearby vegetation might also have added more to this image. Unfortunately that wasn’t available. But, as indicated, this is a highly subjective call on my part.
Absolutely you are correct. I am posting a recrop; see what you think. Yes, it would have been nice to have some other elements in the shot, but was not the case.