Yellow-billed Stork, out for a stroll

[Bill Dix]

When we were there, the Okavango Delta hadn't yet received it's seasonal influx of water, so rather than a vast flooded landscape, the area was dotted with small "pans", attracting numerous species of birds. The Yellow-billed Stork was just one of many attractions.

D500, Sigma 150-600C @ 340mm; ISO 640, 1/3200s @ f/7.1 manual.

[Jonathan Ashton]

I like the shot Bill but I think the image is just a tad flat, I would have expected a slight pink blush on the white plumage also. I wonder if perhaps you used the white dropper on the whites - maybe I am completely wrong, if so my apologies

[Bill Dix]

I like the shot Bill but I think the image is just a tad flat, I would have expected a slight pink blush on the white plumage also. I wonder if perhaps you used the white dropper on the whites - maybe I am completely wrong, if so my apologies

Thanks Jonathan. No eyedropper. I am seeing just the slightest pink blush, but it is subtle; the red channel in most of the white areas is about 10 points above the green and blue. That's the way the AWB saw it, I guess.

[Glenn Pure]

I was wondering what the water conditions were like when you were there, Bill - so thanks for that detail. It must have concentrated the birds and other wildlife around the water holes. As for this one, the first thing that struck me was the slightly odd colour of the white on the plumage but I'm not familiar with what it should look like. I see the discussion on this with Jon and can't add there. Very little to fault in this one too, Bill except for that stump on the left which doesn't add IMHO.

[Tim Foltz]

Bill, cool looking bird, nice details and pose. I hope you don't mind I adjusted the tones slightly let me know if you like it.

Thanks Tim

[gail bisson]

Lovely image of a great bird.Nice walking pose.
I agree that the "pop" of color is not there.
A bit more work in PP would make this sing. I would increase brightness and saturation and warm the image up slightly.
Stump is not doing much either so I would evict that! Get you axe out Mr. Lumberjack!
Gail

[Bill Dix]

Thank you all for your helpful comments. Tim, thanks for taking the time. Your RP definitely has a bit more pop, but seems just a bit too cool, maybe more saturation of the blues in the water than I recall the scene. Here's a repost with just minor tweaks to overall brightness, saturation and warmth as suggested by Gail; and of course the stump. I have other images of this guy, standing without the stump, but liked the walking pose of this. I did think of removing the stump, and should have. It makes a big difference.

[Jonathan Ashton]

I like the repost, I am getting that pale pink blush.

[Isaac Grant]

Such amazing birds. I really love storks and think they are very under appreciated for their beauty. Nice waking pose and I prefer the version without the stump as well. Looks like you had some overcast conditions here and these types of shots need extra tlc in PS to get right. As we have discussed in other images, too much work on an already downsized file just does not work but I also did a quick version just to show you where I think it can go. I agree with Gail that the shot is a little too dull and flat. Also needs to be warmed up. Images in this light don't look right as compared to what our eyes see which is a boldly patterned white bird walking in blue water and green grass.

I did the following. Selected the bird then inversed. Increased the brightness of the background, lowered the midtones and upped the white channel a little to give more depth. Then added some warmth in Viveza by upping the warmth slider +5.
Then on the bird only I increased the brightness, added some black to the blacks and mid tones in selective color, then I went into the white channel and increased the magenta in the whites and decreased the cyan in the whites to give them a little more of that rosy wash that they should have.

Again all of this is best done on the original full res file and there is no way to get those whites right by messing with the downsized file.

[Bill Dix]

Thanks Isaac. Your RP does increase the depth of white feather detail. I frankly don't recall seeing that much rosy wash on the bird, but as you say, it was a dull day. In my RP I did brighten the whole image a bit from the OP. You have brightened it further, which is an improvement. Likewise I warmed the original, and you have carried it further.

[Stu Bowie]

Hi Bill, your sightings in Bostwana are making wanting to visit the bush to see all these wonderful birds again. I like the strolling pose with the head turn, and good work on removing the stump in your RP.

With regards to the pink on the wings, the wings will become pink during the breeding season.