Snettisham Oystercatcher

Taken in October this year.

Some of the whites look blown to me, but I like the pose.....

Camera: Canon EOS-1D Mark III
Exposure: 0.006 sec (1/160)
Aperture: f/7.1
Focal Length: 700 mm (500 f4 + 1.4x)
ISO Speed: 400
Exposure Bias: 0 EV

Hi Graham, a really nice environmental shot but I am having trouble with those whites as they 'bleed' into the blacks which really seems to blow the highlights on my screen. I think it could cope with a little more USM to make the bird 'pop' a little.. I like the balance of water and shoreline as well as the overall composition.

Kind regards,

Brett

Graham,

Subject composition is spot on, but the subject just looks over-exposed to me. The blacks look too pale/brownish and the whites are blown.

If you are using auto/matrix metering then an adjustment of at least -2/3rds EV is usually recommended for high contrast 'oyster pips' in bright conditions - to prevent the whites blowing out. Or simply manual meter off a mid tone rock/stone/grass patch.


Mike

these shots are difficult as you really need to be at sea level with the bird although this time of year its a little cold! nice diagonal shoreline all the same.

I don't see where the whites are blown out. That shot is perfect. That is a rather elusive bird. I tried chasing one down with a Sigma 70-300mm on my Pentax K100D.

Unfortunaetly the white areas look a little too blown out to recover. Perhaps worth a revisit if you get a chance in slightly less contrasty light.

Thanks for comments and advice - some of the whites are blown I agree, but I recall that the plumage on this bird was not great. I think it was a very windy day which had blown the feathers around which may explain the irregular plummage.

Cheers, Graham.

Whites covered and I like the setting. Might be tempted to take a bit off the bottom so the oystercatchers bill points into the bottom left corner

Thanks Magnus - I was trying to keep as much of the reflection (such as it is) in the water as I could. Cheers