Wood Stork

Gallery: AvianPosted May 17, 2011179 views12 comments

Canon EOS REBEL T2i
EF-S55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS
5/16/2011 – 2:40:37 PM
1/1000 sec
Manual
f/9
ISO 400
Focal length 225 mm
At, but not captive in, the Jacksonville Zoological Gardens
Raw file processed in PSE9, cropped blue sky from the left, image is 73% of full frame

I went to the zoo yesterday to see what there was to try my hand at, for something different for me. Imagine my surprise and wonder when I came upon several trees right next to the elevated wooden walkway FULL of wood storks, nest and babies. I have other images to post, but this one makes me happy, so I'm starting with it. :) I should have had more of the branch, and maybe since I don't I should crop it out, but it seems to make more sense with the branch there.

I was overwhelmed by all the comings and goings of parents with and without nesting material, and with my camera speed and buffer and my being overwhelmed I had a really difficult time even with all the comings and goings getting anything in the air. So that's why even though this one isn't as sharp as it could be it makes me happy.

All feedback would be greatly appreciated. Thank you, and a special thanks to my mentors!

Comments

12 comments

Comment posted by SandyRichardsBrown on May 17, 2011 at 1:06 PM

Great pose! I've never been able to catch one of these in a decent flight pose - they are pretty awkward anyway.
Sharp eye, head, and feet - even if the whole body is not tack-sharp.
Not sure abpout the branch - I think I'd personally get rid of it, since it isn't sharp, then move the bird down in the frame a bit. You might have to clone in some canvas on top.
Really nice!! Way to go!
Looking forward to the others!

Sandy

Registered on November 24, 2003, 3937 Posts, 12909 Comments

Comment posted by Luca Mussato on May 17, 2011 at 3:24 PM

well Karate kid ought to learn how to manage this figure. It seems it is suspended in the air with someone mastering its wings like with a puppet. About the branch I think it gives the perspective of a safe landing place or something to flight toward, but in this case it is too OOF the results to be annoying. So I agree with Sandy about removing it. In the same way I also agree for a different type of composition, adding some canvas at top and moving the bird toward the bottom. I also woud try to darken a bit the BG to make the stork pops.
Hope this make sense.
Cheers, Luca

Registered on November 14, 2006, 118 Posts, 855 Comments

Comment posted by Karen Summers on May 17, 2011 at 3:51 PM

Terrific pose you have caught I would get rid of the perch though

Registered on December 3, 2009, 83 Posts, 818 Comments

Comment posted by Ron Huff on May 17, 2011 at 4:02 PM

Nice shot Barbara. Overall a really good job. I know the feeling of getting overwhelmed when a lot is happening and trying to get it all- been there and still am there myself.

Ron Huff

Registered on August 31, 2010, 69 Posts, 440 Comments

Comment posted by Wayne Willison on May 17, 2011 at 4:25 PM

Good work, Barbara. The stork is sharp where neeed and in one of those magical poses because, you don't know how a bird with such a big bill could ever get airborne, but it does. I could watch these beautiful flyers for hours. They are someting else in flight.

Registered on April 10, 2009, 292 Posts, 3967 Comments

Comment posted by Morkel Erasmus on May 17, 2011 at 5:38 PM

you did very well with sharpness and exposure in the kind of light that it looks you had
they look a lot like our "sacred ibis"...

sharp where it needs to be and the branch adds context to the pose

Registered on March 22, 2011, 385 Posts, 2068 Comments

Comment posted by Howard Cheek on May 17, 2011 at 8:50 PM

Great POV of this gawky flyer, detail and DOF looks good Barbara..Perhaps a slight contrast boost.
I'm on the fence with the branch thing

Well done

Registered on July 24, 2008, 1201 Posts, 10758 Comments

Comment posted by Robert Holguin on May 18, 2011 at 1:28 AM

Wonderful shot, love the landing pose. Real nice control of the whites. I really like the detail in the larger image. I agree about removing the branch and adding room at the bottom. Well done.

Registered on January 25, 2011, 44 Posts, 294 Comments

Comment posted by Dan Walters on May 18, 2011 at 10:32 AM

Nice pose and I like the dramatic clouds in the background. Agree about getting rid of the branch,

Registered on October 30, 2005, 405 Posts, 3693 Comments

Comment posted by Ron Dudley on May 18, 2011 at 10:32 AM

Barbara, Interesting wing position and the head looks sharp to me. In the larger version especially I get almost a 3D effect, partially due to the sharpness of the head and softness of much of the rest of the bird. Exposure looks good. My eye does want a bit more room up top

Registered on March 30, 2007, 437 Posts, 10915 Comments

Comment posted by Richard Ditch on May 18, 2011 at 11:06 AM

Good work. Always nice getting some action into the image. Finding such places as you did is a reasonable alternative to an expensive long lens.

I'd increase the contrast slightly and probably crop out the branch.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 1031 Posts, 12705 Comments

Comment posted by Jim Hackley on May 18, 2011 at 2:28 PM

Certainly an awkward looking stork and this flight pose makes the head stand out more which for me is the interesting part. I would crop or clone out the branch and possibly add some more canvas to the top area for a more pleasing composition. Nice job getting this with the cloudy skies, way to go.

Registered on September 17, 2009, 302 Posts, 5535 Comments