Distant Trees In Sidelight

With this shot, I sought to use a dark foreground to frame my subject, being the distant trees, lit from the side by the sun still very bright and low in the sky. These conditions make it tough to find something without blown highlights and blocked shadows. Unfortunately the blue sky is still quite light and dead space in the image. It would have been nice to have an overhanging branch to fill it.

I didn't see the heron only 30' away on the far bank (extra) until I was about to walk away. I was surprised he hadn't flown away and had remained stock still.