Catch Me If You Can

[Bill Dix]

Saddle-billed Storks, courtship antics. This was our first day in the Okavango Delta; a dark, rainy morning, so I was pleased to capture this action with such a low SS and high ISO. One of the iconic Botswana birds that was high on my target list.

D500, Sigma 150-600C @ 350mm; ISO 4000, 1/250s @ f/7.1 manual.

[Debapratim Saha]

Nice dancing poses captured on a beautiful habitat,amazing behavioural shot Bill.

[Jonathan Ashton]

Nicely caught Bill, some whites look amorphous - were they burnt? If not I would suggest lowering luminosity a little in the brightest whites. The right hand bird is just a fraction out of focus but I agree with your composition certainly worthwhile keeping it in the frame.

[gail bisson]

I like the dancing pose but wish the stork on the right was sharper.(far wing and head)
The light was not being good to you this morning!
I would like to see a shot with just the stork on the left. He is nice and sharp and has a great pose.
Botswana can be a rainy, dark place. On my last trip there it was cloudy every single morning and then the sun would break through the clouds at 10:00AM and then the light was too harsh!
Gail

[John Mack]

Looks pretty good for the high ISO. Those colors on the head really come out in the diffused light.

[Arthur Morris]

I too love the poses and the soft light. Both birds look fine to me. As far as the "amorphous whites," I think that many folks simply do not understand that properly exposed WHITEs on cloudy days or in low light will never show much detail ... I also like the varied and softly defocused grass background.

with love, artie

[annmpacheco]

Wow Bill, what a playful scene here and an excellent capture. I like the differing poses and the front and back side wing views. Just curious, what is the yellow under the chin on the stork to our left? I also like their legs and the reddish joints and feet! Well done.

[Bill Dix]

Thank you all. I may be able to sharpen up the female, on the right. I would have been better with a smaller aperture and higher SS, of course, but was fighting the light. Ann, the male sports small pendant yellow wattles on each side of the base of the bill. Also note the different eye colors between male and female.

[Geoffrey Montagu]

Nicely captured under the low light conditions we had, Bill. They gave up quite a display and this is one of the best moments. Well done.

Geoffrey




http://500px.com/geoffreymontagu

[John Whaley]

I really like this one Bill. Beautiful soft light and perfect timing on the poses to capture the interaction between the two birds.