Marabou stork

[Steve Kaluski]

The great thing about photography is, not only does it allow you to see/photograph so many different species, but also travel and visit different habitats/environments .

Although the colour of their legs and feet are dark grey, the build up of excrement makes them appear almost white, hence you cannot avoid a 'clean' perch, something I think young Stu B also referred to when he posted the same subject a while back.

Thanks to those who posted or viewed the previous thread.

Steve

Subject: Marabou stork (Leptoptilos crumenifer)
Location: Botswana
Camera: Canon 1DX MKII
Lens: 500f/4 MKII with 1.4x MKIII HH
Exposure: 1/2000s at f/8 ISO800
Original format: Portarit, slight crop for presentation, FF width
Processed via: LRCC & PSCC2017

[Glenn Pure]

Nicely captured shot. Detail and lighting look great and nice colouration on the wings but I'm trying to figure out how it got excrement on its legs? Perhaps one we shouldn't go into though! I notice the width is full frame. I'd have preferred the bird to be more centred but I guess that's why you included that detail. If so, apologies for raising it.

[Steve Kaluski]

I'd have preferred the bird to be more centred but I guess that's why you included that detail. If so, apologies for raising it.

Hi Glenn, thanks for the reply, the reason for going off-set to the left was that I wanted space to the right for the subject to 'look into'. I think if it was centred, then the space would be too tight and you would have too much negative space on the LHS. Hope that explains my thinking/rational .

Thanks

[Glenn Pure]

Thanks for your clarification Steve. Just a subjective view on my part. I have had shots like that myself where the bird's body is pointing one way and the head the other. Articles on composition that I've read suggests a central placement is the 'go' in those cases. I've found that works for me.

[Steve Kaluski]

Articles on composition that I've read suggests a central placement is the 'go' in those cases.

If it looks right then why no, I have this hang up about images should lead from the right, an old hang up from Design and Advertising days .

[Joseph Przybyla]

If it looks right then why no, I have this hang up about images should lead from the right, an old hang up from Design and Advertising days .

Ahaah... now I know why if a bird is flying from left to right you like the image flipped. I prefer the off center placement.

That aside, the stork appears to be a juvenile. Amazing the excrement on the legs, I think it probably happened when in the nest. Thank you for sharing, Steve.