Gang-gang Cockatoo (male)

[Leo Berzins]

Gang-gang Cockatoos are found in the south-east of Australia and are usually too wary and/or too high up to photograph.
However, these magnificent birds can be a bit more approachable when they are feeding, like this male, but the compromise always seems to be a close and cluttered background.

Is the background too busy or does the beauty and character of the bird prevail?

All comments and critiques welcome, as always.

Canon 40D, 400/f5.6L, 1/160s, f5.6, ISO 800, Ev +2/3, fill flash EC -1 2/3, monopod
cropped from horizontal, minor levels and curves adjustments

[Doug Brown]

The feeding behavior and low angle work for me. The BG is busy, in particular the branches around the bird's head. I would try to minimize the visual impact of those branches in post-processing.

[Roman Kurywczak]

Hi Leo,
The birds behavior is very nice but for me the BG is too distracting and the lower tail is a bit tight in the frame....even for me! This is a tough one because the bird is so beautiful.....but IMO....the BG overpowers it. I'd keep it until I could top it and work with a better BG.

[Tony Whitehead]

I really like the pose, angle and feeding behavior, Leo. Agree with Doug on spending some time in post to reduce the impact of the BG.

[Rob Drummond]

Nice shot of the male Leo. I can understand your dilemma. The only time I've seen them in the clear I didn't have a camera.

cheers Rob

[Ákos Lumnitzer]

Good behavioral capture Leo. :) Busy it is, but that's where they live. If you have the time and patience and intimate knowledge of where they are at any time, you may be able to use a set-up to get them with a clean setting. I think that would be a lot of hard work and patience/luck would also be playing an integral part. Don't know how you could better the background in the post process, I think as the photographer you would know it was not how it was or should look. It's a compromise in my humble opinion.

So overall, despite the busy setting the image conveys the typical habitat and behavior of this wonderful Aussie parrot.

[Wayne Ellis]

Leo, this is brilliant my friend, a bird in a natural setting. Without offending others I really do not like the current fashion of isolating a bird from it's environment. In the days of velvi 50 and K64 one needed to extract every bit of light. Today with the modern lens and digitial there really is no reason to be shooting at F4 or F5.6. My humble opinion.
Back to the Gang Gangs, I appreciate the difficulty with these blocks. I gave up on a mob in Wollemi NP when down there a year back. They were to high and aware even for the 800mm. All the best mate