Question: Taking Flight

A question!!!!!! I am not usually so much into wild life... but I happened to meet this bird (crane?) today. I took a couple of shots, and I like this one more than others - it was already flying away and I zoomed in quite a bit, so the background looks more blurry, but the bird is kind of flying away from the camera. I am putting the shot right before that (with half the zoom) into my Runner-Ups album. I like the other one less overall, but the bird is more in a "textbook"-kind of pose. Which one do you prefer? The link to the other photo is here: http://365project.org/vera365/runner-ups-to-3/2015-06-15
Thank you for your input!!!

[john morley]

This is also an excellent shot, It's a close call

[Sue]

I think this is a heron.

[PhotoCrazy]

This is a Great Blue Heron. I like both pics as one is take-off and the other inflight. Nice captures

[Clare Gadsby]

Hmmm. Tough call. Think I prefer this one as I like the wings open against the dark trees, and the fact the heron is in line with the horizon

[lisa]

what great captures! i love both... but i think this one highlights the bird more with the darker background.

[Susan]

I like both! I have been capturing these beauties for the past few months and it's not an easy shot! You have to be quick on the draw and ready on your feet! I can't tell you how many 1/2 shots I have and it can be so disappointing as the 1/2 is fantastic (in regards to clarity and focus), lol. FAV for me - both of them. It also takes a lot of patience and as I found out this past weekend, a couple dozen mosquito bites too!

[Bep]

I like both pictures of this beautiful heron.

[Phil Howcroft]

stunining capture vera

[Call me Joe]

Great shot!!

[Raymond Milsted]

well timed

[Vera]

Catching up - thank you so much for your input on the Great Blue Heron picture (Thanks, @photographycrazy for the info!!!!). I see you points on the differences, thank you for giving feedback.

@jack4john @sueb47 @photographycrazy @pistache @lisamccloskey @susanalena @gijsje @phil_howcroft @joemuli @ray_milsted

[☠northy]

i prefer this one... i'm not a birder, and not too knowledgeable about what would be considered text book and what wouldn't, but i much prefer the overall whimsicality of this one and something about the background in this one just scintillates while the other one feels a teensy bit flat to my eye...

[Joan]

Beautiful capture, Vera. Sorry I've been absent from commenting - lots of travel and visitors this past month. Hopefully I can stay more caught up. I love looking back on your photos that I've been missing.