Masked Lapwing

[Colin Driscoll]

A Masked Lapwing in sand dunes. Whites a bit blown but hey, that's the way the bird looks in bright sunlight!

50D 100-400 @ 400 1/2000 f7.1 -.67 ev iso100

[Ákos Lumnitzer]

Nice one Colin. Did you do any photoshop work near the head? There are some odd looking smudges or maybe I am just tired. And have you checked the whites on the neck? I wish there was more room below for the feet, even though they are not really visible. A nice and alert pose you got! :) TFS.

[Troy Lim]

Also, I feel landscape crop would be better for this shot.

[Bill Dix]

Great portrait of this spectacular bird. Agree the whites on the neck could be toned down just a tad. Landscape crop could give him some room on the left to look into.

[Colin Driscoll]

Thanks for the comments. I did play with a landscape crop as there is room in the raw image but (rightly or wrongly) felt this one was more balanced. Akos, not sure what you are seeing around the head except that on pixel peeping there specular bits in the black from the strong light reflecting off the feathers. I cropped the bottom short because the vegetation became strongly OOF and you know what the responses to that would be.

[Bonnie Block]

This is a great looking bird, Colin. If the lanscape does not work well--how does it look with more room above and to the left? It is a tall bird and seems wanting of some room if possible.