Spot the 3rd bird

[tommiejeep]

Quite some time back I posted a similar image in colour and a 3rd bird was obvious in the BG.   My PP skills are sadly lacking so when I chanced to find this on an old card I thought I would play with B&W.  D500, 300 2.8vr , w/TC1.7 handheld at f8.Comments?   A guy on another forum asked me to send the RAW but unfortunately this was done in cc PS and I only saved jpeg.

[Cyril]

I think b and w works great for this one. It really makes littles details pop. For instance, all the water droplets scattered across the image. What I really enjoy is the symmetry between the heads of the two birds.  Both are looking at you but their wings are spread at different angles and they're not flying the same way. If I really had to be picky, I would say the area of their legs and around their eyes lack detail and don't pop because they're a darker grey.

[pluton]

If I had been lucky/skilled/equipped enough to have made this shot, I would try to bring up more detail in the very dark background.  It is possible, however, that this experiment would not be successful and that you already have executed the optimum processing.

[Tristin]

The shot looks great to me, and I very much enjoy the PP.  The perfectionist in me is slightly niggled by what appears to be a slight tilt, but that could be an illusion cast by the water.

[tommiejeep]

Cyril and Keith
Yup the dark legs are a problem.  The image was correctly exposed but the drill here was to try and get rid of intruding bird.   The BG is very messy and close.   Trying to get rid of the fishing Egret in the BG was just beyond my PP skills in the colour version with many tones and details.   If I were better I could lift the shadows on the legs,  I will have another go.
I really appreciate the you comments.
Many thanks,
Tom

[golunvolo]

I love the shot. Plasticity and action are super. Pleasing to the eye composition. Droplets giving even more dinamic to the image. I'm a big fan of high contrast images os pp is spot on for me too. Greay shot

   Thanks for sharing it!

[RobOK]

I really like this shot! I think you captured a special moment, the energy of movement!

I felt like sharing attached, not really relevant other than having a big bird!

[EtheB]

I know that this is fairly old and possibly not being monitored, however - love the photo, B&W really works well with this subject matter - and, yes I spot the third beak!

[Thomas Stellwag]

Quite some time back I posted a similar image in colour and a 3rd bird was obvious in the BG.   

haven´t seen the mentioned other picture. This one I really like.