Many thanks to the early contributors for getting us off to such a fantastic start! I have a few questions/comments
Uuglypher - your discussion points regarding the flamingo and lion are terrific. Do you have a personal recommendation (book, article, video) regarding chiaroscuro for beginners?
whwhiden and Uuglypher's postings of same subject under different light: very instructive!
artbob - a challenging, interesting image. Thank you!
camerapapi - thank you for your time and excellent overview. I appreciate your variety of subjects and your emphasis on the creative aspects being a "photographer's choice."
Graham Smith - you're tempting us to organize a discussion/share topic on the role of editing in achieving our vision. Count me in
steve DeMott - capturing harsh, soft and in between...all with one source, the sun. Your mention of short time frame with clouds of #2 prompts me to ask what is your go-to choice for shooting mode when light conditions are rapidly changing?
cwilson - You've posed an excellent question about what kind of outdoor light to
start with to capture a high key image. One article I read about high key suggested that, although you can adjust in pp, it's best to find a non-distracting background as your foundation. Potentially, you could be out in harsh light but find a subject posed against a light-colored sky or other scenario where there are fewer shadows to deal with (open shade). Anyone with more experience who is reading this, please share!
Much is written about how to accomplish high key lighting in a studio setting, but I found a "natural light" article
herePossibly there could be a quibble as to whether your result is light enough ("majority of tones in the highlight area"), but either way, I'd say you achieved great success with this photo; it is
stunning!