Female Saddle-billed Stork

[Robert Winslow]

Here's another colorful African bird. I've photographed these before but never this close.
Took several both horizontal and vertical. Here's a full frame horizontal.
The light areas on the bill are worn areas and are not highlights. I could have taken them out, but the bill would not have looked real to me.
I'll give you folks a break for a few days as I'm headed for the Bosque tomorrow.

Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya
f6.3
1/500
-.033
Canon 500/4.5
Canon 40D

Robert Winslow
www.robertwinslowphoto.com (http://www.robertwinslowphoto.com)

[Randy Stout]

Robert:

Striking colors, great eye, sharp,well exposed.

An amazingly thin neck for that big bill.

I find the crop a bit awkward and would like a bit more room above, and would be inclined to do a vertical with the beak working the diagonal, showing a bit more of the neck. Since you have the vertical, it might be fun to see a repost of one.

Have a fun and safe trip to Bosque.

Randy

[Robert Winslow]

I've got three different verticals. One is fun with the it looking straight at the camera. Can send later. The problem with the verticals is that you get the white of the upper part of the body. The whites here are not clipped, but there is virtually not detail.
f8
1/200
-.033
ISO 400
same camera and lens

[arash_hazeghi]

Man, what a rainbow of colors, Very good detail agree with Randy about vertical comp.

[Ken Watkins]

Great image of a beautiful bird, I like the vertical best but would like a little more room on the left.

[subramanya_ck]

Just a perfect portrait.

[Axel Hildebrandt]

Cool bird, the bill looks amazing, head angle and sharpness look good, too. I find it a bit tight in the frame and I could also see this as vertical crop.

[Harshad Barve]

This is riot of colors , great species indeed
TFS

[Kiran Poonacha]

Cool pose this, loved the colours and details here, congrats..