Woodstork

[pat lillich]

At Ft. DeSoto, Florida we saw Woodstorks for the first time.

Incredible, strange, beautiful birds. In the water they were very shy, but we saw some up on the grass who were willing to let us very slowly approach close enough to get some closeups.

any suggestions of ways to improve always appreciated...

nikon d300, 200-400 f/4 with tc at 550mm f/7.1
cropped, and a little recovery in LF, (eye lightened with exposure brush)
NR and output sharpening in PS with a linear burn at 20% on the white feathers (not the ones around the neck and bill) added some saturation to head and bill

[Lance Peters]

Hi Pat - a face only a mother could love! Linear Burn work looks good and a good PS skill to have for saving the whites (There is a article in the educational resources forum for those that don't know how to use)
Exposure looks good as does the PP work - Good HA and nice catchlight in the eye - Not crazy about the feathers in front of and covering the bill- could just be me though :)
Just a little too much negative space at the top for my personal tastes would crop a little from the top. BG is what it is - if possible might have tried moving around a bit to see if the lighter strip in the BG could be eliminated/improved.

Doing well!!

[pat lillich]

hey Lance, thanks for your comment. I love the contrast of the feathers against the bill but understand wanting to see the full bill. But what with the texture of the head and neck - the bird seems to be all about textures. So I was wondering if there is just too much going on in the photo, and would it have been a better effect if I had been able to zoom even closer - (this is a huge crop) - i was wondering if you think it is a better composition - or worse because it focuses on what you feel are weaknesses in the photo? Maybe if I had moved more to the right, the bill would have been less obscured.

thanks again

[Dave Leroy]

Very nice. I like the repost and the slight rotation is a nice touch and good idea.

The repost seems to me a brighter photo and detail in face area easier to pick up.

[Julie Kenward]

Pat, I do like the repost better as it definitely shows a lighter BG and more details in the bird. Stepping to the right would have definitely given you a cleaner bill and a better body angle but the repost does seem to cut back on those "negatives" a bit more than the OP.

I think you're right on for thinking this image is all about textures. It is also about exposure as well as anytime you have a white bird and a dark BG you've got to get that right as well. I think you learned a lot from this image and that's what it's all about!

[Deborah Harrison]

Nice capture and I really like the repost which shows the bird more clearly. This really is a lesson in how small adjustments can really make an image 'pop':2eyes2:

Thanks for sharing.

[Lance Peters]

Hi pat - repost works better for me - tighter does seem to be better. When ever you get a co-operative subject, be sure to work them as much as you can, move around change angles - shoot standing up - laying down.
You will be surprised how the smallest change in your position alters the BG.
keep em coming :)