Willet + REPOSTS

Gallery: AvianPosted March 29, 201061 views13 comments

Canon 7D, 500mm f/4 +1.4x TC. Monopod, sitting.

1/1250, f/7.1, ISO 400. Evaluative metering, no EC.

Crop to 79% (14.3 of 18MP)

Here's another shorebird from Puerto Penasco. I like the elegant pose, the detail (esp. in the legs), the habitat, and the low angle. For me the only real nit is that I wish the bill was entirely against the blue water, but I think it stands out well nonetheless.

Comments and critiques appreciated. Please view larger version if possible.

Comments

13 comments

Comment posted by Kurt Bowman on March 29, 2010 at 12:52 AM

Brian, I love the light and detail in this shot and I totally agree with your assessment about the beak. You migh try masking it and selectively lighting it to make it stand out better against the BG. I think it is worth working on, because everyhting else is great!

Registered on June 19, 2008, 1005 Posts, 8028 Comments

Comment posted by Rob Drummond on March 29, 2010 at 2:15 AM

Nice detail and lifted foot Brian.

cheers
Rob

Registered on November 8, 2003, 617 Posts, 8267 Comments

Comment posted by Steve Balke on March 29, 2010 at 9:18 AM

Lovely exposure, pose and detail, Brian. However, he does look a bit beakless. Kurt's suggestion sounds good to me. This is a case where you could consider digital removal of some of that mud behind the bill and replacing it with blue water. However, I must admit that so much change even in OOF habitat makes me uncomfortable. Maybe just lightening the mud in the background a bit would work. Anyway, there are so many other very attractive aspects to this image you could also just leave it as is!

Registered on June 18, 2009, 229 Posts, 2915 Comments

Comment posted by Dan Moore on March 29, 2010 at 9:20 AM

Like Rons quest for the perfect Osprey -we will suffer gladly through your almost perfect image. I enjoyed it very much.

Dan

Registered on February 11, 2010, 143 Posts, 1248 Comments

Comment posted by Brian Gatlin on March 29, 2010 at 9:48 AM

here's two reposts. This one has the most brightening, the next one is in between. Let me know which you prefer.

Registered on March 21, 2009, 202 Posts, 4187 Comments

Comment posted by Brian Gatlin on March 29, 2010 at 9:50 AM

repost #2 (in between)

Registered on March 21, 2009, 202 Posts, 4187 Comments

Comment posted by Monica Siri on March 29, 2010 at 1:26 PM

Brian,
the entire image works for me as presented. Very nice shot!

Registered on September 20, 2009, 132 Posts, 3764 Comments

Comment posted by Simon Bennett on March 29, 2010 at 2:27 PM

Nice raised leg pose, first repost looks good to me. Good detail too.

Registered on February 4, 2007, 350 Posts, 4614 Comments

Comment posted by Nate Chappell on March 29, 2010 at 4:17 PM

2nd repost for me Brian

Registered on February 1, 2006, 1158 Posts, 19528 Comments

Comment posted by Kurt Bowman on March 29, 2010 at 5:45 PM

Brian, the second re-post is spot on for me! great job!

Registered on June 19, 2008, 1005 Posts, 8028 Comments

Comment posted by Ron Dudley on March 29, 2010 at 8:03 PM

Love the light on the bird against that dark background Brian and agree with you that the legs look great, esp with one lifted like that. I too prefer the second repost but do think the bill against the dark background is a bit of an issue that likely can't be solved completely.

Registered on March 30, 2007, 437 Posts, 10915 Comments

Comment posted by Wayne Rhodus on March 29, 2010 at 11:07 PM

I like this for all the reasons you mention and after looking at the reposts I lean toward the second. Very nice work.

Registered on November 16, 2003, 157 Posts, 3326 Comments

Comment posted by Mia McPherson on March 30, 2010 at 7:29 AM

Brian,

I like the elegant pose, how the one leg & foot is raised, the detail, habitat and sharpness. Of your presentations I prefer the second one the most, though I might tone down the whites/lights of the willet a smidge in RAW.

You got some lovely shorebird images in Puerto Penasco

Registered on June 25, 2007, 491 Posts, 12566 Comments