Willet in the wind

[Lorant Voros]

Finally got out for some photography. Wind is top at our Mexican beaches that is good for the kite surfers, but hard for the photographers. This was taken today an hour before sun set. Comments are welcome.

1DMKIV
500mm+1.4TC
ISO800
f:10
1/1600

[Sachin Saraf]

Lorant, Nicelow PoV, Sharp and well exposed...Open beak is plus...I wish for slightly better HA...

[Frank Schauf]

Excellent Pose and light, nice comp and good ambient.

[PhilCook]

Looks like the wind was right up it's....rear region lol....like the ruffled tail feathers and the what looks like running pose, combined with leg action and open beak the image has life to it. Some nice gold light and pleasing backdrop colors....I may be inclined to sharpen just the head a little more

[Karl Egressy]

Striking image, Lorant. Excellent IQ and POV. Light and pose are also great. ( Nagyon szep)

[gail bisson]

Lovely light and I like your title- a play on Willow in the Wind?
I would rotate CCW a tiny little bit.
Great low POV. Might take a bit more of the bottom and create more of a pano,
Gail

[Diane Miller]

I love the contrasting browns and blues! And very interesting "action."

I'd be tempted to darken the lightest area at the bottom, or crop it as Gail suggested.

[Marina Scarr]

Super low angle. Agree on rotation. Love the raised foot, open beak and those super tail feathers.

[Jonathan Ashton]

Very atmospheric shot Lorant, love the colours the low angle and the image conveys a sense of actually being there.

[Sidharth Kodikal]

I love the wind-in-the-feathers look, the ultra low angle and the gorgeous light. The raised foot and the calling pose take it up a notch. The green strip on top adds to the beauty of this image.
Very nice plumage on this Willet too.

[Lorant Voros]

Thanks for the comments everyone. Yes, it was running and calling while the wind was pushing it big time from behind. It was a funny seen. I like the pano crop suggestion, despite that would cut the virtual legs . Sachin;I have the calling open beak with a better head angle in another frame, still I found this one stronger for some reason. Thanks again.

[Roman Kurywczak]

I really like this one Lorant! Besides the minor tweaks suggested by Gail....very nicely done!

[Lorant Voros]

Thank you for your comment, Roman. I was thinking about how interesting photos you can take,such as this one, when the conditions aren't "ideal" and many photographers pack up and go home. In this afternoon the birds were giving us a bad body angle due to the strong wind, but this one turned around and started running while calling. It was great to stay until the end of the day and capture this display:-).

[Diane Miller]

I'm new to birding -- do the birds tend to face away from the wind, like cows do? I know they'll take off and land into it. Just wondering what to look for in terms of wind direction and where I should be for body angles, if not anticipating shooting flight. They always seem to have their backs to me, no matter where I am, even if I'm not close to them. Bad karma, maybe.