Avocet on the salt flats.

[kevin Hice]

Strutting Avocet shot in North Dakota from my floating blind. I was pushed all the way up to the shore on this shot. Thanks to Brian Sump to get me motivated and find some Avocets in a slough. I don't do a lot of shore birds because of the difficulty of shooting from the floating blind.
Shore birds being in very shallow water is a pain in the A## because of the low water. It is a pain in the neck and very difficult shooting conditions. With this blind in particular. It is my new and improved version. Well it didn't work out that way.
First I made it out of three inch PVC pipe instead of four inch pipe mistake one and mistake 2 was making it smaller and narrower. The better mouse trap wasn't so good very unstable and lower.
Processed with Dpp 4,Photoshop comments and critiques much appreciated.
Canon R5
Rf 4002.8
560mm
1/1600
f/4
ISO 200

[Andreas Liedmann]

Hi Kevin glad that Brian pushed you ... to get the very nice subject of the American Avocet to photograph !!!
A very pleasing image with the walking parallel to the camera , does work oh so well with the low POV .
Pleasing colors and the soft color grades in the BG are super ... nice fine details in the subject and sharpness bang on . Maybe a touch too tight in the frame .... if you have I would choose a looser crop .
Nice job all around ... from capture to output

TFS Andreas

[kevin Hice]

Andreas I would need to add canvas to the top so I just left it as. Thanks for the comments.

[arash_hazeghi]

classic shutter done beautifully, love the colors and the low angle,

TFS

[Brian Sump]

Kevin, so glad you got out and found the Avocets!

This is a beauty in most aspects. Really nicely processed subject and the lighting and mid-strut pose are superb!

A couple of suggestions. It certainly is tight in the frame and giving a little above and below would be a sweet touch.

Also, at ISO 200 you had tons of room to bump SS and freeze that lifted foot.

In all, really great work!!

[William Dickson]

Looking real good Kevin. Beautiful colours and detail throughout. I agree with Brian regarding a faster SS. But, I would be more than happy with this.

Well done

Will