Juvenile White Ibis in silhouette

[Bill Mellen]

Perched on a branch, preening and seemingly waiting for the storm

[armando_m]

I really like this image , the dark silhouette vs the blueish gradient is quite pleasing

[FredCrowBear]

Very nice!

[Bill Mellen]

Thank you Armando and Fred for the kind comments.

[Jakov Minić]

Bill, I am a sucker for silhouettes, really nicely done!

[ArthurDent]

Very nice. Do you recall the exposure?

[Akira]

Bill, I like this illusionismic image!  (The fork twigs look like separated legs of the bird and, in turn, the bird's legs look like the twigs.)

[Bill Mellen]

Bill, I like this illusionismic image!  (The fork twigs look like separated legs of the bird and, in turn, the bird's legs look like the twigs.)

Akira, that is the same thing that struck me as I opened the image on my computer!

Bill, I am a sucker for silhouettes, really nicely done!

Thank you very much Jakov.

Very nice. Do you recall the exposure?

Thank you Arthur!   The full EXIF available when you click the image and view info on SmugMug.

D500, 200-500 f/5.6 VR @500mm, iso 100, 1/250 f/5.6, Daylight WB, some sharpening and contrast added in Capture NX-D.   There was a rainstorm approaching and two young White Ibis were resting on the branches of a dead cypress tree in the marsh next to our house.  I saw the silhouetted back-lit image and was able to make several exposures with the bird posing nicely.

Here is an image of what might be its sibling or cousin taken in the same session with more traditional lighting.  Maybe, they will visit again and I can get a nice image in better light.

[Ann]

The intricate interplay of the shapes and spaces between legs and the tree-branches (in the silhouette) is mesmerizing.
Well seen and executed!

[Bill Mellen]

The intricate interplay of the shapes and spaces between legs and the tree-branches (in the silhouette) is mesmerizing.
Well seen and executed!

Thank you Ann for the kind comments.

[Bill Mellen]

An alternate version of #1 with the subject more on the right side of the frame.   Version 1 jumped out at me, but as I look over this version, it may or may not be better.  Both are un-cropped D500 200-500Vr images with minimal sharpening and contrast adjustments in Capture NX-D

[Alaun]

A picture with a mood. 

Beaten up bird on a beaten up stick waiting for the worst still to come.

The second one is even better.

[Bill Mellen]

A picture with a mood. 

Beaten up bird on a beaten up stick waiting for the worst still to come.

The second one is even better.

Thank you Alaun.