Dune Rider

[Andre Pretorius]

White-Backed Vulture taking off on dune after catching a breeze. They fed on lion kill behind the dune.
Walked/climbed to top of dune-when scorching sun creates a breeze, they took off one by one.
Image shot in dunes, Kalahari Feb 2013.
Older image, followed Steve advice to wait 2/52 before posting any recent images.
Just installed LR5, then CS6 with luminosity layers.
Selective sharpening for web.

D3S with 600F4
ISO 400
F7,1 @ 1/1600

[hennieloots]

Beautiful image, Andre. I love the unique angle of view and pin sharp subject. The 2 OOF birds add for me. IMO I would remove the ?grass/roots from the sand below if it is within your ethics. TFS this special capture.
Regards
Hennie

[Marina Scarr]

This is quite the compelling image, Andre. Your chosen composition and the placement of the rear birds in the frame work beautifully to tell the story. Also feel the inclusion of the grasses in the sand works well. You captured a great angle on your main subject.

[Diane Miller]

The sharpness on the bird is wonderful, as is the "pose"! I love the environment and the DOF is excellent, to my tastes. 99 out of 100. But I really wish the bird on the left was not cut off, and if it were me, I'd get rid of it. The other one alone tells enough of the story.

[Martin Dunn]

Andre, I love that the bird is both in flight and coming towards you and that you are slightly below it. These elements combine to produce avery strong image.
I agree with Diane about the left hand bird in the background. Because it is incomplete I think you could easily remove it and not weaken your composition.
The bits of grass/roots on the dune do not bother me, although the image would be cleaner without them.

Overall your photo has a lovely warm feel. Is this just down to the light or was a bit added?

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Andre, nice one. I would try an alternative crop and go tighter. Cropping the LH bird is not good, but in the heat of the moment... however you nailed the bird! :cheers:

BTW what is 2/52 and you know the reasons why I said wait. :w3

TFS
Steve

[Carl Walker]

Hi Andre. I see you have survived the Kalahari and returned safely. Look forward to the stories. Super image. Very detailed and sharp. I like the detail in habitat and love the vulture coming on head on off the dune. Well captured.

[Andre Pretorius]

Thank you Hennie, Marina, Diane, Martin, Steve and Carl for comments and suggestions.
Reworked, cropped to Steve's suggestion, removed birdie.
Steve, 2/52 is a abbreviation we use for indication treatment time of a patient, means 2 of 52 weeks, 1/12 means 1 month, 5/7 means five of sevens days, etc. Sorry if I confused anyone:tinysmile_shy_t:

There was no warmth added, Martin- was taken in Feb in Kalahari mid-morning. Sky saturation was increased a bit...

WDYT?

[Diane Miller]

Much improved, but I would have left the crop as it was at the bottom. The branches in the sand are now creating tension by being so close to the edge and cut into. You could clone them out but I think the amount of sand in the original makes a nice balance to offset the visual weight of the bird.

[Stu Bowie]

Hi Andre, the vulture pops nicely from the sand dune, and certainly a different perspective of a vulture flight. Diane's comp suggestion was a good one, which you have reposted nicely.

[Steve Kaluski]

Andre, 16 x 9 working from the bottom RHC using the full width as posted in the OP, that was where I was coming from. Removal of the cropped birds is better, but makes for sloppy camera work in the OP, LOL. :cheers: