Bempton Puffin

Hi to all,
Puffin , photographed at Bempton cliffs this morning and a very charming character he was waddling about the cliff tops looking for nesting material.

Levels , Usm ( 150,0.2,0 x2 ) slight Sat , crop for comp (almost full frame)

Canon 20D , 500mm F4 L IS , W/Hv2 , Gitzo 1325
1/1250th @ F8 iso400 E/c -1/3

All comments and advice most welcome

Kind regards
Andy..

Hi Andy - wish I'd been there...

Maybe it's my monitor but 'puffy' still looks a bit soft overall - looks like your focus was about a tad closer to the cam, the grass is tack sharp.

I'd have definately done this shot in landscape format and given him some nice empty space on the right to look into.

I'd say your post work was spot on though, colours and contrast are great, exposure is bang on with no blown highlights - it's just he looks soft.

But then again I might need my eyes testin'

Nice image all the same

Hi Andy,
The more I look at it the softer it gets , I'd been shooting Gannets in AI Servo mode and didn't have time to switch focus modes and as you say the grass is tack sharp so maybe the AF was locking onto the foreground , I only managed a couple of frames before it flew off , maybe I'll nail one next time

Kind regards
Andy...

I havent been to benpton for years, Never got this close to the puffins then-A tad more sharpening should sort it out

Would have prefered a little softer light but given the circumstances you were faced with you've got a nice result here.

Hi Guys,
Thanks for the comments.

Kind regards
Andy...