I was fortunate to capture this frame in Puracé National Park in Colombia in 2018. This bird was obviously baited with meat (see beak), but not under the usual circumstances. This individual was summoned as
part of an annual ceremony conducted by local indigenous people. It took the bird an hour to appear, and I was the only person among 150 assembled with any camera beyond a cellular phone. It was a pretty
incredible experience, the bird showing its 10-foot wingspan as it cruised directly over our heads. I've posted flight shots from this encounter previously.
Lighting was tough, but I think the midday cloud did a nice job of filtering what would have otherwise been impossible lighting on this high contrast subject.
I would have like more eye contact, but I didn't want to interrupt the ceremony by whistling or clucking to get the bird's attention.
Also, and as avian portraits are a specialty of mine, I've included a link to a gallery of headshots I've created over the years. I think it showcases the avian spectrum nicely!
Very nice. A interesting looking for for sure. Not something you see everyday. Background is killer. The diffused light was needed here in my opnion. Direct sun would have been much harsher.