Snail Kite (f)

[Joseph Przybyla]

I captured this image on the west shore of Lake Parker in Lakeland, Florida. Comments and critique welcomed and appreciated. Thank you for viewing.

Nikon D500
Nikon 500mm PF, camera and lens supported by a Oben carbon fiber monopod with a Wimberly MonoGimbal head
1/1250 F/5.6 Matrix Metering EV +1 ISO 3200 Auto 1 WB, image captured at 500mm (750mm 35mm Equivalent)
Post processed in Lightroom Classic, Photoshop CC 2022 and Topaz Denoise AI
Cropped for composition and presentation

[Arthur Morris]

Nice one Joe. Just like it says in the Middle of Florida Site Guide (https://birdsasart-shop.com/the-baa-middle-of-florida-photographic-site-guide/) that we wrote together. It's great that those crop factor bodies give you extra DOF. I like the over-the-shoulder view here but there are a few too many sticks for me, especially by the face. It took me ten minutes to clean it up Lastly I sharpened the face with a Contrast Mask.

Folks can learn all of the above and tons more in Digital Basics II. (https://birdsasart-shop.com/the-birds-as-art-current-workflow-e-guide-digital-basics-ii/)

with love, arite

[Joseph Przybyla]

Nice one Joe. Just like it says in the Middle of Florida Site Guide (https://birdsasart-shop.com/the-baa-middle-of-florida-photographic-site-guide/) that we wrote together. It's great that those crop factor bodies give you extra DOF. I like the over-the-shoulder view here but there are a few too many sticks for me, especially by the face. It took me ten minutes to clean it up Lastly I sharpened the face with a Contrast Mask.

Folks can learn all of the above and tons more in Digital Basics II. (https://birdsasart-shop.com/the-birds-as-art-current-workflow-e-guide-digital-basics-ii/)

with love, arite

Hi Artie, your edit works for me. I go back and forth regarding what to remove. Recently I have been entering a few contests which don't allow removing anything, so I have been trying to find compositions in the field and in post processing that work within those rules. I guess just part of growing and learning, it makes me think and analyze. I will work up a version copying what you did. Thank you for commenting and editing the image showing your thoughts.

[Dorian Anderson]

This is an interesting view of this bird with the outstretched neck. Not a fan of the random sticks, but Artie's workup is a big improvement on that front. Flat light helped keep contrast and shadows to a minimum, so that's good.

[Arthur Morris]

Hi Artie, your edit works for me. I go back and forth regarding what to remove. Recently I have been entering a few contests which don't allow removing anything, so I have been trying to find compositions in the field and in post processing that work within those rules. I guess just part of growing and learning, it makes me think and analyze. I will work up a version copying what you did. Thank you for commenting and editing the image showing your thoughts.

Yes, when entering contests you beed to follow the rules :) My pleasure.

with love, artie

[Jonathan Ashton]

Initially I was going to say well done there must have been a lot of branches in the scene and you managed to minimise them in your composition. I liked the original as it was .... but I have to confess the cleaned up version looks very good. Well detailed and pleasing colours.

[Steve Kaluski]

Like the look back Joe, nice detail in the feathers, the clean up is better, but you have to accept things if you enter comps.

TFS
Steve