Female Woodpecker (Three Photographs) and a word on light

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You come across a magnificent bird begging for its photograph to be taken. The light is awkward and while it highlights some features, the confusion of branches, the way the light hits some of the surrounding objects creates halos and/or shadows. These are the sort of things you cannot fix in the field without changing position and potentially losing the bird. In post processing you can darken the trees that need it and you can soften halos. However, in the end perfection is not possible. I think most people would be happy to have been this close to a female pileated woodpecker and take the peripheral issues in their stride.