Nazca Booby - first flight

[Bill Dix]

D90; 18-200 VR @ 62mm. ISO 400. f/6.3 @ 1/4000s. Matrix metering @ -1.0 EV. HH. 76% of FF.

We watched this young fellow for some time, standing on the edge of his rock while a parent repeatedly demonstrated proper takeoff technique. He practiced flapping until he started to get enough uplift and finally became airborne, making a clumsy circle and coming back onto his rock as shown here. I cloned out one oof booby silhouette in the bg. C&C appreciated.

[Dave Leroy]

Interesting story behind the photo. Ths for sharing.

Boy were you ever close.

I like the composition and think there is juts enough fg to work really well.

Looks to me like photo needs a bit more contrast and I am not sure why I can't see any details around the eye.

Lots of detail in the bird and really like the nice angle on the bird and wing position.

[Julie Brown]

Nice wing position and detail. That must have been fun to witness-and you have a photo to go with the story!

[Bob Miller]

Hi Bill...Love the composition, wing position and detail....only wish there were some detail in the eye area.

[Bill Dix]

Thank you all. I agree about the eye -- I found that troubling when I first looked at this one, but haven't figured out how to restore any detail; I guess the head is shading the area of the eye because of the sun angle. I'll see if I can bring it out somehow.

[Rachel Hollander]

Bill - I agree with the others -great composition and detail on the wing. Really like the story too. Thanks for sharing.

Rachel

[Lance Peters]

Hi Bill - lots to like here - like the use of the -1 to protect the whites!!
Agree with the above comments and hope you can get some detail out of that eye - try one raw conversion for the eye and another for the bird and merge the two together - just a thought!
:)

[Harold Davis]

everything fantastic here!! great job and love the story. agree with the others on the eye. lance as a good idea!!!

[Alfred Forns]

The eye is the main thing Bill .. need to see them and makes a difference !!! I think you can lighten the area behind the eye a bit and increase saturation/lighten eye ! Do like it as presented !!!

[Peter Farrell]

Really nice composition. I like the wing position and BG. You are fortunate to have witnessed a first flight. TFS
Peter

[Bill Dix]

Thank you all for the comments - especially for reinforcing my concern about the eye. Here's a repost, with an overall boost in contrast and saturation, and an attempt to bring out the eye. I appreciate the help; hope you like it.

[Harold Davis]

repost looks nice. as far as the eye goes, i'd say something in between.