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Blue Crane portrait


Blue Crane portrait
Photo Information
Copyright: Robert Brown (Robbrown) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1305 W: 96 N: 2175] (6054)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-07-23
Categories: Birds
Camera: Nikon D200, Nikon AF-S VR F4 200 - 400mm 1:4G ED, Digital ISO 400
Exposure: f/8, 1/250 seconds
Details: (Fill) Flash: Yes
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Gruiformes (Turnalar, Crane-like) [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2007-07-27 13:46
Viewed: 965
Points: 16
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
3rd of my crane portraits from my visit on Monday to Pensthorpe Wildlife Park is one I had not seen before, a Blue Crane (Grus paradisea) another Crane from South Africa. this one seems smaller and lighter than the other cranes being only 100cm / 39inches tall. also it is more of a vegetarian than the others, it prefers roots and tubers with a side order of seeds which includes cereal grain which has lead to it being classed as vulnerable in conservation terms because of the conflict with farmers, some insects are also part of the diet but not a major one. Another difference is that this crane prefers dryer ground to the others, in fact short grassland and pasture are the type of ground you are likely to find them in.
The cobra hood like look of the head is from the feathers at the back of the head and neck being expanded both sexes look the same.
For more details have a look at this page on the Bird Life International web site Hope you like him as much as the others.
Sandhill Crane
Gray Crowned Crane
nglen, marhowie, LordPotty, eqshannon, Proframe has marked this note useful
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ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To Proframe: Highlight in eyeRobbrown 2 07-30 03:14
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Critiques [Translate]

I thought of a cobra when I saw this too.
The neck on this is most unusual ... well, I suppose its usual for blue cranes, but its quite different to any other bird I've seen.
A good capture and notes.Great post.
Thanks for sharing.
Cheers, Steve

  • Great 
  • jossim Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1676 W: 5 N: 2144] (11878)
  • [2007-07-27 16:23]

Superbe photo,j'aime bien l'arriere plan et la composition.Bravo pour les détails et le phocus bien réalisé.
Merci!
Joseph

  • Great 
  • nglen Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1991 W: 5 N: 5557] (20998)
  • [2007-07-28 6:16]

Hi Robert. Not a bird i have seen so thanks for loading. you have captured the very fine feathers it has. with sharp focusing. good colour. a nice POV/DOF.it has a unusal shaped face. well done TFs. good notes to.
Nick..

Rob;
I particularly like the soft pastel colours in your depiction. Unknown if this quality I am seeing in the Nikon D series is common to it's firmware, but it seems to me that with your eye and knowledge of nature, you are showing off both camera and artist. This is a very nice picture in all ways that I look and see it.

Bob
Pacific NW US

nice portrait, TFS ori

Hello Robert,
Don't want to fall in to repetition, but I though the same like LordPatty already did mention.
This really looks like a cobra with the big head and small neck of the crane wich looks a little weird, but also wonderful.
Composition, sharpness, lighting and DOF are very good and I just love the lovely soft colors in the BG.
Only small distraction in my opinion is the small white spot in the eye, as if you did clone it in afterwards.
Thanks for sharing.
Kind regards,
Harry

  •      
  • gerhardt Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2225 W: 268 N: 4166] (11529)
  • [2007-09-08 7:19]

Hi Robert,

I trust you are keeping well? I am so glad to see you post our National Bird here. :) Lovely portrait my friend. Well done.

this is a rare portrait..head only and with a subtle colour in the background
sharp and quizzical eye is very cool!
with the beak and feather textures shown clearlly
f8 was a good aperture here..and the fill did the work on the eyelight and texture of the feathers
cheers
geof
dohhhh thought that nepal duck was special..:)

What what a startling shot! A bird with a cobra-head&neck! I had no idea these guys could look like this.

The compo is exxxcelent and eye-catching.
Great touch to have those purple blobs in the blurred background. I think they complement the birds feathers in a natural way [ without resorting to artifice such as a colour-matching frame ]

Well done.

TFS,

;j.

PS I am left with an eerie feeling by the bird's stare...
PS2 Just now read the Notes.

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