light at death (warning...a bit graphic)

I took a walk (with my camera, of course!) on my lunchbreak today and came across this dead raven. I don't know what killed it but there was a beam of light that came through the treetop of an oak and illuminated his head and beak, and it appeared to me that I had a photo op here. I've never taken this kind of picture but I thought it would make an interesting subject. Softened through a custom filter process in Photoshop 7.0, no crop. Critique welcome.

Canon DRebel w/Sigma AF 28-80 Mini Zoom Macro lens
f/14, 125th, 800 ISO, -1/3 EV compensation, custom shade WB

Ray

I find it interesting knowing the story behind it, but I don't think it would hold my interest on its own. I like the light and the ground, but the crow itself is just too bland. Nobody's fault, it's just that death takes away the needed luster, probably...the crow blends into the shadows too much...

Interesting to think about, though.

I'd like to know more about the custom filtering though. I need to know how to soften in PS.

I have to disagree with it being bland. There are a lot of details (like the trickle of blood coming down his beak) that really take it out of the land of bland...

Oy vay, sorry about the rhyming.

I find this shot really interesting.