Look at what I discovered in the genizah. I was on safari in my hard drive, seeking overlooked gems. I found this black-winged stilt from May.
I was at my spot a few km north of Pudong Airport on the East China Sea. The individual is an adult in breeding plumage (white head). The stilt is standing out of the water, allowing us to appreciate the unusually long legs of the species.
I remember being pleased with the way in which my slow approach, willingness to get wet (I was knee-deep in the water), and good timing put me in position to shoot this black-and-white bird in beautiful light. The sun was just setting.
For the past four and a half months, two, maybe three people have seen this image. Now I'm sharing it with y'all.
It's fun to go bird-watching in one's computer. Finding old goodies is almost as gratifying as acquiring a great image in the field. There's that thrill of discovery.
Device: Nikon D300
Lens: VR 600mm F/4G
Focal length: 600mm
VR: ON
Aperture: F/4
Shutter Speed: 1/200s
Exposure Mode: Aperture Priority
Exposure Comp.: -0.3EV
Metering: Center-Weighted
ISO Sensitivity: ISO 200
Nice work is getting this one (knee deep in water) and nice light. I like the eye contact. It would have been nice if the clump of mud was not there and we could see more of the legs. Does this shot need some ccw rotation? I find the bg a bit busy too and wonder if it could be smoothed out. Lovely shot of this BW Stilt.
The bird is lovely and I like the little stump he is perched on. The Background on the right is less than ideal. I might try a different crop even if it deviates from a standard aspect ratio or had captured it vertically to start with.
Your fieldcraft is very good from what I've read in this post and others from you. Nice low angle and pretty colours. I love the bit of leg reflections. Had you been able to move to your right a couple feet you would have eliminated that brownish area at right. The left part ofthe BG is excellent though. Good focus on the bird, very clear eye. Yes, the image needs CCW rotation.
I imagine this is a rare bird in your part of the world?
Thanks for your observations! I'll rotate CCW. No, Daniel, the black-winged stilt isn't uncommon in East Asia. They're easy to find in the wetlands on the outskirts of Shanghai. I saw plenty of them up in Inner Mongolia too.
Nice and sharp Craig, and I like the light and colours. I agree that this needs a slight CCW rotation. Comp wise, I would maybe move him back to the left.
OK, thanks again, members of the virtual community; what a resource this place is. My balancing problem is a bit of an embarrassment for me. I probably was lining up the wrong elements. How do you guys get the balance right?
As for the ugly mound to the right, well, welcome to eastern China, where pristine landscapes are few. I have no solution to that problem; I certainly wouldn't go in and Photoshop the thing out, and I can't bear cropping an image to have the bird looking into the short side of the photo.
I have two redos here. One is the original crop, rebalanced. The other is an attempt to get rid of the ugly mound by cropping vertical.
Very nice Craig! Love the original, but your two reposted versions poop over it, if you know what I mean. Careful post processing and final presentation are exactly what make or break an image. The original, while still nice, needed a little kick in the back side, which you wonderfully done. Good one! :)
Akos, you're right about the importance of PP. Bird photography isn't just about getting outside breathing fresh air and communing with the birds. It's also about spending long hours in front of the computer. Some photographers don't think PP is something they signed up for when they invested in the gear. But you have to do the time.
Thanks, Doug. Months ago, I passed it over probably because of the problematic background. But on my recent hard drive safari, I realized I had no shots of the stilt showing nearly the full length of its spindly legs.
Black-winged stilt, Shanghai
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