Out today - again just north of Oakland Airport. Had a nice mix of Marbled Godwits and Avocets decide it was time to fly onto the pier. Thankfully they didn't stop their mini-migration when I joined them. Have several from this shoot to post. Appreciate feedback.
Details: D850+Sigma 500/4+1.4, HH, 1/3200, 5.6, Manual, C1P raw, PS CCC 2018 adjustments/crop, NI NR and SS on output.
I love the head-on approach Jay! Looks sharp enough where it needs to be. What ISO were you on? I am curious, as I tend to use around f/7.1 to f/8 as a rule with most flight shots.
(ps. bummer about that OOF light band under the bird)
I love the bird, the great colors in the BG and the wing position but don't like the post in the BG.
Really hard to get a tack sharp image on an incoming bird so well done!
Gail
A fine shot, from a personal perspective I do not find shadows and highlights on the bird a problem, that's how the light was and you caught it well.
The only thing I would do is pretty much what Gail suggested i.e. blend that band of light beneath the bird so it becomes amorphous with the background.