LB Curlew

Gallery: AvianPosted August 17, 201194 views6 comments

This image was taken last week at Torrey Pines, CA. It was high, thick overcast and I decided to try and get a lower POV than I usually shoot. So, I slowly bent my tired old knees and sat down in the sand. Of course the birds were still lower but I thought I would give it a try. Got some nice images (light not to good). This Curlew came fairly close and even though he had the sun behind him ( the overcast saved me) it still came out ok. Cropped a little off the right for composition. The hardest thing was getting back on my feet. I looked like a turtle on his back trying to get upright. This is the lowest I can go.

C & Cs appreciated.

08-11-110at 9:30 a.m.
7D with EF 400mm 5.6L
1/1250 at f / 5.6
ISO 500
Manual Exposure
Center weighted average metering
Handheld sitting on the sand.

Comments

6 comments

Comment posted by Harry Harris on August 17, 2011 at 10:50 AM

I hit the wrong button so I cannot add the larger image, sorry.

Registered on August 2, 2010, 169 Posts, 741 Comments

Comment posted by Barbara Graham on August 17, 2011 at 10:59 AM

Beautiful, Harry. Looks like good detail, sharp. I especially like that you have action here but you can also see the entire bill except for the very, very tip -- the best of both worlds.

Registered on July 27, 2010, 1310 Posts, 5035 Comments

Comment posted by Dennis Plank on August 17, 2011 at 3:31 PM

Very nice, Skip, particularly considering the poor lighting conditions. Detail looks good, as does the exposure and the low angle helped.

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

Comment posted by Keith Bauer on August 17, 2011 at 4:57 PM

Harry: Glad you made it back up! Your effort to get lower I think has paid off. The angle works well. The overall lighting conditions didn't really help you out here. It feels a bit on the flat side. You said you cropped a little of the right for composition. I'd like to see a bit more room on the right for overall balance. At this size, it appears that the raised foot has a bit of motion blur. If that is what it is, I'm surprised at 1/1250.

Registered on November 20, 2003, 458 Posts, 4836 Comments

Comment posted by Balan Vinod on August 18, 2011 at 12:53 AM

Harry ..this is beautiful ..love the detail and the open beak here ...the center comp works for me ..well done ..

Balan Vinod

Registered on March 20, 2006, 889 Posts, 2312 Comments

Comment posted by Ron Dudley on August 21, 2011 at 9:08 AM

Harry, Good for you for making the considerable effort to get lower even though you paid the price. I think your angle here has positive impact. I also like the open bill, the feeding behavior and the effect of DOF on the water surface. Difficult lighting situation but you handled it well. For my tastes the curlew is a bit too centered.

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