Saddle-billed Stork

[Stu Bowie]

A different perspective. Since this Saddle-billed Stork was fairly close to me, I had the opportunity to experiment with different POV's. Taken from a hide in the Kruger National Park, late afternoon. I captured this vertical.

Canon 50D
100-400 @ 400mm
1/250
F/6.3
ISO 500

Exp Comp 0
Hand held.

[Ákos Lumnitzer]

Awesome details bro. I think this image may look good as a vertical pano. Certainly a fabulous and not so conventional view. Well done! :)

[Ken Watkins]

Stuart,

Magnificent, a shot I have always wanted to take.

[Stu Bowie]

Thanks a stack for the feedback guys. Here's a version in vertical pano.

[Ken Watkins]

Stuart,

Even better (if possible) amplifies the stare

[Marc Mol]

Love the vertical pano here Stuart, well timed and captured.
TFS

[denise ippolito]

Stuart, I like the head on pose and the details look good. I like both versions. Nicely done.

[Ákos Lumnitzer]

Yes, the tighter crop bro! Way to go Stuie!

[Jim Crosswell]

Stuart this is a real beauty! I like the stare you captured here.

[Marina Scarr]

Although OP was very different, the repost works even better by really focusing in on that bill. Very unique, and well seen.

[Sid Garige]

Really like that tight vertical repost. Very colorful.

[Tony Whitehead]

Great symmetry, Stu. Repost definitely better IMO.

[Daniel Cadieux]

Awesome perspective! Although I like the re-crop I have an alternative to propose. Taking your OP, I cropped half of the space at left. Even with the straight on stare I felt the offset face and eyes in ULC are well balanced with the body and black shoulder in LRC. What do you think? Can you guess what two other things I did to your image?

[Pieter de Waal]

Stuart wonderful capture and penetrating stare - looks like you disturbed him from his morning nap:D. Nice exposure with good detail in blacks and whites and colours are great. I like your second post.

[Ilija Dukovski]

My 9 years old, just looked at this one and said "OMG, look at that, that is great"!
The entire family got around and are looking at the image commenting "That is awesome"
I think it that is the best critique the image can get.... :)

[Marina Scarr]

Daniel, you knocked it out of the ball park with this new crop!

I think you darkened the BG just a tad, and it pops.

M

[Troy Lim]

Love the exposures, the blacks, the whites. amazing.
Daniel's crop was my favorite. Congrats.

[Stu Bowie]

Thank you all so much for the great feedback and comments. Always appreciated.

Dan - I really like your crop, and would have never thought of it that way. I can see one other thing you did. You took out the green sheen on the top of the head and wing. May I say in light, like this, the plumage does show a greenish sheen. Cant see the other.:cool:

[Mark Young]

Nice perspective. The repost looks great.

[Doug Brown]

The repost by Daniel looks great! A subtle improvement on an already fantastic image!

[Craig Brelsford]

Ilija makes an important point about the immediacy of this excellent shot. The shot is fun to look at as well as instructive. (Daddy to children: "Can anyone tell me why it's called the 'saddle-billed' stork?") I like all the crops; it's really hard to go wrong. I appreciate Stuart's ability to see the opportunity and turn the camera vertical. Sometimes it pays to be hand-holding a smaller lens.

[Stu Bowie]

Mark, Doug, Craig, thanks a stack guys.

[Daniel Cadieux]

Yep, apart from the re-crop I removed out the cyan cast by desaturating the cyan channel, which took care of the head and white plumage. I do see the greenish sheen, also easy to take care of. The other thing is that I slightly lightened said white plumage as it was a bit shadowed.

[Stu Bowie]

Dan, once again, thanks a stack.