Another Black-necked Stilt

[Bill Dix]

For a change from the soft, foggy-morning Stilt I posted the other day, this one was taken at Moss Landing, CA a few minutes before the sun dropped below the horizon. I'm not sure what's on his leg. I usually don't like to remove any part of the bird, but if this is a bug maybe it should be evicted. I wouldn't have minded a slight head turn, but my frames with better HA's didn't have as good a diagonal pose; pose trumped HA. C&C appreciated.

D7000, 700mm, ISO 1250, 1/1000s @ f/7.1 manual.

[Karl Egressy]

Very nice light and nice pose. Yes, a little head turn would have been better but it is very nice as is, Bill.

[Stu Bowie]

Hi Bill, lovely light, and I do like the leaning feeding pose with the slightly raised foot. Overall, well exposed, and I feel the bug adds to the image. Leave it be.

[Grace Scalzo]

I think that you made the right call as this is a great pose. I think you're right on the edge with your reds, but this probably happened in conversion.

[Geoffrey Montagu]

Beautiful light Bill. As if a frame from a film, I can see the motion, lean. like the slightly open beak.

[Juan Carlos Vindas]

Nice low-shooting angle, killer light, and pose by this handsome bird. I have seen them many times in our coasts but never with this nice light.

[gail bisson]

Hi Bill,
I think you made the right call re:pose, which is great. I also light the slightly open beak.
Beautiful light and I am OK with the bug but I just wish I could tell it was a bug and not vegetation. I zoomed in on it but still cannot tell so am now leaning towards evicting it!
Gail

[Miguel Palaviccini]

Bill,

Like you mentioned, the diagonal pose is what makes it. I do wish you had a bit of a better head angle (which would have moved the catchlight a bit forward in the eye I believe).

Miguel

[Sidharth Kodikal]

Excellent light, exposure, pose and comp, Bill.
I do wish for a better head angle. I'd evict the dark stuff on the leg.