This was at a State Park in Iowa where the Turkey Vultures live during the summer. I visited in July. Some huge storm clouds were rolling in and they were soaring through the clouds. Turkey Vultures are always beautiful to watch.
Anything
Is this a composite: No
Nikon D3400
ISO 100
300mm
f/6.3
1/1000
Adjusted shadows and highlights, convert to black and white
A cool cloud with the vultures adding an interesting focal point, Vanessa.
@Dennis_Plank Thanks, Dennis! Yeah, even though I think clouds are neat I do think they need something to add more interest.
Good look at the soaring vultures. I am thinking it might look better with more contrast, especially bringing in the white point to significantly brighten the clouds?
Thanks @Harley_Goldman , I did a few adjustments and also put a red filter on it. What do you think of this?..
I think it works much better. What do you think?
Yes! I definitely agree! I think it makes the Vultures stand out more too. Thanks for your help! I look forward to the time when I can see a problem with my pictures and adjust accordingly! 
The second version looks terrific. It grabs attention and has a lot of visual appeal.
For me it starts with making the photo look like what I saw. Usually it’s contrast that’s the key. Another is saturation. Then cropping. Keeping in mind what I’m trying to do or say with the image. Lately I’ve been leaning toward creative processing for certain scenes in order to emphasize a mood or emotion. I try not to lean too hard on sliders and adjustments, but it’s pretty subjective. It’s hard to separate being there and taking the photo from the processing and presentation sometimes. That’s why the insights and opinions here have proven so valuable.
Vanessa, the mix of clouds and vultures, especially as the vultures are arranged around the cloud looks good. Harley’s higher contrast version is a nice improvement.
Hi @Mark_Seaver , glad you like it. I’m glad you also like my repost with @Harley_Goldman suggestions.
The repost is an amazing improvement, Vanessa.
