Bringing home the bacon

Gallery: AvianPosted July 9, 2011127 views15 comments

A good year for Sand Eels, a good year for the Puffins.

Steve

Subject: Puffin (Fratercula arctica) Head shot of Puffin with sand eels in beak
Location: Farne islands, UK
Camera: Canon MKIII
Lens: 500f/f/4 handheld
Exposure: 1/500s f/4 ISO400 0 stop compensation
Crop: Slight crop for presentation (original capture horizontal)

PS: Levels/Curves/Saturation/small amount of USM

Comments

15 comments

Comment posted by Jim DeWitt on July 9, 2011 at 1:54 PM

A classic portrait of the classic pose. Nice work on the blacks and white. Well done.

Registered on August 28, 2006, 1240 Posts, 8506 Comments

Comment posted by Dan Roberts on July 9, 2011 at 1:58 PM

Excellent image. Great technicals and subject matter. I'm amazed every time I see an image of a puffin with a beak full like this.

Registered on March 9, 2011, 69 Posts, 501 Comments

Comment posted by David Sewell on July 9, 2011 at 5:18 PM

A classic, Steve, and, as you say, a good year for sand eels too. I hope nothing happens to spoil it for the puffins and arctic terns, they are overdue a good breeding season. You have handled the often awkward lighting there very well.

David

Registered on September 10, 2008, 63 Posts, 801 Comments

Comment posted by Ron Dudley on July 9, 2011 at 5:46 PM

Nicely done Stephen. A tough exposure (both bird and potentially the fish) and you pulled it off. Very nice detail and I like the background.

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

Comment posted by Carol Nichols on July 9, 2011 at 8:09 PM

Beautiful portrait of this puffin Stephen. The bird stands out nicely from the greenish background. Great detail in the bird and the eels.

Registered on November 7, 2007, 161 Posts, 1420 Comments

Comment posted by Verdon on July 9, 2011 at 8:13 PM

great shot, nice detail for handheld, congrats to awesome picture

Registered on June 10, 2011, 147 Posts, 1444 Comments

Comment posted by Terry Sohl on July 9, 2011 at 8:30 PM

Beautiful shot, great job on the exposure, and really terrific exposure. Good to hear they're having a good year. Heard it's been rough lately, and lack of forage food was a possible cause.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 513 Posts, 6889 Comments

Comment posted by Angela McCain on July 9, 2011 at 10:23 PM

Excellent image of my favorite pending bird. Hope to have a photograph like this of my own some day.

Registered on April 19, 2009, 367 Posts, 3589 Comments

Comment posted by Dennis Plank on July 9, 2011 at 11:08 PM

Quite the mouthful, Stephen. A beautiful job on the exposure and a sweet bg. The longer sand eel makes a great focal point.

Registered on January 28, 2008, 1767 Posts, 23192 Comments

Comment posted by David Williams on July 9, 2011 at 11:29 PM

Tack sharp and beautiful colors, too. Love the bg.......well done, Steve.

Registered on March 8, 2005, 315 Posts, 2291 Comments

Comment posted by Ron Huff on July 10, 2011 at 12:29 PM

Awesome shot Steve.

Ron Huff

Registered on August 31, 2010, 69 Posts, 440 Comments

Comment posted by Kurt Bowman on July 10, 2011 at 2:00 PM

Steve, no nits from me on this one! Great execution!

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

Comment posted by May Haga on July 10, 2011 at 2:47 PM

Wonderful puffin portrait complete with lunch.
May

Registered on February 22, 2007, 714 Posts, 8470 Comments

Comment posted by Richard Ditch on July 10, 2011 at 2:49 PM

Excellent detail in this classic composition.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 1031 Posts, 12705 Comments

Comment posted by Stephen Kaluski on July 11, 2011 at 3:26 AM

Thanks everyone, appreciate the feedback.

Steve

Registered on March 25, 2007, 189 Posts, 1064 Comments