Black-necked Stilt on Foggy Morning, #3

[Bill Dix]

Those of you who prefer mirror-perfect reflections will be disappointed, but I intentionally left the watercolor-like reflection, both to allow for virtual legs of this long-legged species, and because I thought it added to the tension of the tip of the bill touching the water. C&C appreciated.

D7000, 700mm, ISO 8000, ISO 800, 1/640s @ f/6.3 manual.

[Simon Wantling]

I've only got one thing to say about this Bill and that is stunning. I like everything about it.

[Daniel Cadieux]

Apart from wishing to see the red coloration of the iris I'm liking this alot. The inclusion of the full reflection helps with the overall balance of the composition.

[Cheryl Arena Molennor]

Great high key, nice reflection . Just wish you had a RED eye

[Juan Carlos Vindas]

I am fine with the lack of the red eye for this one. Very nice HK and reflexion balance the image well.

[Karl Egressy]

Nice looking high key image, Bill.

[Bob Pelkey]

Since you appear to have done the best possible under the circumstances (minus possibly fill light, rarely see flash anymore), the image is greatly appreciated. It is, of course, not always possible to get the ideal red eye with this species even under sunlit conditions. I'm surprised no one mentioned your ISO specs, Bill.

[Bill Dix]

Great high key, nice reflection . Just wish you had a RED eye

Thank you Cheryl and Daniel. Yes, a red iris would have been a nice touch; but in the lighting conditions that morning, the red iris was not visible. Curiously, even when brightened up, the iris looks grey in all of the frames taken in the fog.

[Bill Dix]

Since you appear to have done the best possible under the circumstances (minus possibly fill light, rarely see flash anymore), the image is greatly appreciated. It is, of course, not always possible to get the ideal red eye with this species even under sunlit conditions. I'm surprised no one mentioned your ISO specs, Bill.

Thanks Bob. I have been trying to use fill flash more frequently, and considered using it that morning. But in the foggy light, I thought the fog might reflect the flash back at me and produce an unsatisfactory effect, so I didn't mount the speedlight and BB for these images. (The fog doesn't show up much in this image, since I tweaked the Levels to increase the blacks and whites. As shot, it looked pretty dull.) Still, I suppose it would have been an interesting experiment to try some with and without fill. And yes, it appears I screwed up the ISO spec. 800 is correct as I'm sure you knew.

[Jim Crosswell]

Excellent image Bill! I like the composition, exposure, reflection and bill just touching the water adds to the image.