Whooping crane in the fog

[Grace Scalzo]

Went to Texas to visit my daughter over New Years and photograph whopping cranes and some of the other Texas specialties. As most of you know, the weather in most of the South was horrible for the first week of the new year, cold, rainy, foggy, etc. But you don't go that far and at least try when seeing a critically endangered species, and as luck would have it, I ended up with a few images that speak to me. This is quite out of my comfort zone as most of you know that I love golden, warm light, but turns out fog is fun too. I welcome and value your opinions. Thanks in advance.

1/500, f8, iso1600 (Shot as vertical.)
Canon 1dx, 600 f4 + 2.0 tc + rrs tripod

[douglas hayes]

Well I spent some time with the Whoopers in Wisconsin and was awed. I like the misty look and feel of yr image. However a horizontal shot would please me more. The Whooper flying into the mist with a wide distance in front creates a enduring involvement. I would expand the crop.

[Loi Nguyen]

Hi Grace, I was there too a few days before New Year, so know exactly the conditions that you faced. Cold, foggy, gloomy, no light. You did the best you could here, and this image is much better than anything I got. I'm impressed that you shot this image in vertical! Not easy for sure. But you got the habitat here. The IQ is not what your image normally delivers, but it is for the record and memory. Until next time you will deliver the best shot of this critically endangered bird. TFS. Loi

[Joseph Przybyla]

Hello Grace, I know well the weather in the southeast, terrible for photography in January in Florida. My first impression looking at your image was I wonder why the vertical crop. The fog gives the image a nice dreamy softness.

[Marina Scarr]

Considering the conditions you were dealing with Grace, I think this image is quite pleasing. Love the feel of the fog and you can just seen enough of the bird's red crown and the flow in the wings to make it interesting.

[Sidharth Kodikal]

Hi Grace, I tend to enjoy foggy, rainy, snowy images for the different mood they evoke. This is quite lovely and you've handled the conditions masterfully. Many of us would've likely given up.
Everything looks great from here, but I do wonder if I'd have enjoyed a horizontal more. Kudos on getting a vertical flight shot.
Beautiful species. I've yet to make the pilgrimage to go see them.

[Bill Dix]

Hi Grace. Interesting choice to shoot this in vertical. Well done to catch him. It does offer a sense of habitat and fog. Did you try some as horizontals too? I do like foggy shots like this. You could, of course, make the bird pop with some added contrast, but it would lose the feeling of the moment.

[gail bisson]

I keep coming back to this.
I really like the forms and shapes and colors in the BG bottom half. I think I would prefer this as a "small in the frame" horizontal with the crane in top right corner.
I like the foggy look.
What really catches my eye is that single primary wing tip that is OOF. I would clone it out.
Gail

[Grace Scalzo]

Thanks to all for your thoughtful comments. I shot this as a vertical in order to elimate telephone poles, campers, cows, etc. (you get the idea.....) I have a few that you may like better, will share them soon.

[Karl Egressy]

I had to look at the image for a while until the colors started coming out at the bottom part (old eyes). When they did I started liking this image and the mood it created.
Fog is an opportunity and you took good advantage of it, Grace.