White Ibis on beach

[Bill Dix]

D90; 80-400 VR @ 260mm. ISO 200. f/6.3 @ 1/1000s. Matrix metering @ -1.3 EV. AF-A. Aperture priority. HH.

About 1/2 hour before sunset on the beach at Blind Pass from last month's Sanibel jaunt. This is almost full-frame. I cropped a slivver off the bottom to remove a bit of distracting water in the FG (I was kneeling in the surf), and cloned out a bit of distracting vegetation on the beach. Since I was pretty close to the bird, I think there's some DOF problem on the body, but a smaller aperture would have put more of the BG in focus. Didn't know what to do with the shadow. Any suggestions? C&C always appreciated.

[Katie Rupp]

Nice sunset color and I like the raised foot. As for the shadow (for next time) maybe you could have moved back a bit to give you a lower angle? and/or sat in the surf:D:D

[Lance Peters]

Hi Bill - not much you could do about the shadow except get lower as you were already sitting in the surf probably not a possibility. Body does look like it doesnt have enough DOF - due to how close you were.
Still like the raised foot, good HA and eye contact.
The stick laying on the sand draws my attention.

[Gus Cobos]

Hi Bill,
I like the composition and capture. You have nice sharp details. would suggest kicking the contrast just a tad...looking good...keep them coming...:cool:

[Gail Spitler]

Bill
Just for fun I tried cloning away the shadow. My re-post is just a quick attempt to see what would happen. The sand is indistinct enough that if one has the patience and this isn't against your photographic ethics, it might come out fairly well. I also played with Levels a bit as you can tell.

Like the composition and the intensity of the bird.

Cheers
Gail

[Kerry Perkins]

Hi Bill,

I like the captured pose and the nice warm light. The overall image seems a little dark to me and I like Gail's re-post for the levels bump. If I were going to clone anything in this one it would be the stick on the sand, as it does tend to draw the eye and the shadow doesn't seem out of place to me. Well done!

[Bill Dix]

Thank you all. Interesting that I thought the "stick" added some interest as a focus of the ibis, but some of you feel it is a distraction. Gail, thanks for taking the time to clone out the shadow. I agree that it was distracting and your repost is definitely an improvement. Had I been able to get lower it would have reduced the shadow's impact. But -- a little earlier in the day on the same beach, I helped a fisherman remove a 5-foot shark from his hook and release it back into the water. The shark then proceeded to patrol the beach just a few feet offshore for the rest of the afternoon. He was probably not a threat, but I wasn't sure how deep or far out into the water I wanted to go on that particular afternoon.

[Oscar Zangroniz]

I actually like the shadow, I also liked what Gail achieved with the levels adjustment.
regards,