Cleared For Landing...

[Joseph Przybyla]

I captured this image of a Wood Stork at Circle B Bar Reserve in Polk County, Florida. This image was captured in 2015 but processed today using new tools and skills. Comments and critique welcomed and appreciated. Thank you for viewing.

Nikon D7000
Nikon 80-400mm F/4.5-5.6 VR AF-S ED, Handheld
1/2000 F/5.6 Matrix Metering EV -2/3 ISO 220 Auto WB, image captured at 250mm (375mm 35mm Equivalent)
Post processed using Lightroom Classic, Photoshop CC 2023 and Topaz Photo AI, removed intruding branches from the left side of the image
Cropped for composition and presentation

P.S. Learn more about Circle B Bar Reserve in the BAA Middle Florida Photography Site Guide that Artie and I co-authored. It is available at this link https://birdsasart-shop.com/the-baa-...ic-site-guide/

[Jonathan Ashton]

Jo I am envious at your endless supply of birds and backgrounds, I like the composition and format, the position of the bird with wing clear of the tree is crucial I feel. Exposure and colours look good.

[Dorian Anderson]

I love the ugly beasts, but this isn't working for me. The tree bisecting the frame is a bit much, and there's not much DOF across it because the bird is coming in from behind. I think also
it's a bummer that the bird's head isn't clear of the wing. I tossed an otherwise killer, eye-level shot of an incoming Limpkin last week for that reason.

[Daniel Cadieux]

I love the bird's pose - the wings and dangling feet are fun. The tree is competing with the stork for attention, and I find it, and especially the sky, too saturated. Always a treat to see storks though!