Black-tailed Godwit

We went back on three ocaisions to try for this image and every time this Male was there defending his territory. Every night was slightly different and I have shots where the sun is a lot softer but the colours are not so intense.

Canon 1DS MK11, 500mm Lens, 1.4x, F5.6, ISO 200

Danny

This is amazing, how did you control the sun, has a filter been used?
Beautiful.

Tim

Just superb, very different. Gets my vote.

Superb

Malcolm

Hi Danny.
Absolutely SUPERB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Keith.

Stunning such a striking image, I love these 'subject' in habitat shots, and this danny for me is spectacular, the thought process, the graft, the vision involed in this photograph is brillant, Very Well Done

Th sun to me is too distracting,would look cracking without it with that lovely orange sky.

Craig
www.craigchurchill.co.uk

Certainly a striking image Danny.
can see it with some text in the sun
JohnR

I'm with Craig on this one. But's it's certainly dramatic!

Stunning composition.

See you've blown the highs again ,tut, them bloody Canons.LOL
On a image perspective the vision and idea is ,although not unique ,to be commended .Does the sun pull the eye , of course .Does it work, based on pure photographic 'laws ' ?I'm in the sun out camp .It holds the bird better and visually is more appealling to me.

Stunning! It all works for me.


Simon

Cracking shot Dan

But I gotta say my son that THE sun would be better without the clonking blinkie in the middle and the sharpening halo around the bird smacks of rushed processing

Or alternatively - NICE one

Nicely done Danny.. Like this really quite a lot..

Brett

Thanks everyone for your comments, I knew that this would be an image that some people would like and some not so keen, I don't think it would work without the sun because then it just loses that impact. On this ocaision the setting sun was very bright and I think I exposed for about 1 1/3 minus but just couldn't stop the sun from burning out. This second shot was taken the day before and I composed the shot so the sun was not so central and because there was a slight haze forming when the sun was setting it made it much easier to correctly expose.

Tim I didn't use any filters and I am not sure if you can get filters for a 500mm does anyone know?

Andy you know me too well!!!!

Danny

very nice shot, for me i think the first post stands out abouve the edit

lea

Yes, I think you can get filters for the big primes, they go in the back of the lens...

Nice work Danny...

Now the second one I can definitely live with - even got nice rim lighting on the bird.

Well worth the efforts in going back over a period of time. To some the setting sun may be a bit unatural but this is how it gets I know.
Certainly Nikon do a slip in polarizer and I am sure Canon do as well. About £150 though!!!
It may or may not have helped.


Major

2nd one works for me too Danny - though if the sun in the first was like this one then it would ring all my bells as I think the comp in first post has the edge.

Both are corkers though matey

Second shot with the rim lighting and sun to one side is a cracker,much better than the first shot!!

Craig
www.craigchurchill.co.uk

Both are good looking well composed & taken images but the second post is the winner for me.

Lee

First shot is my favourite Danny...but what do I know? Both belters.

Pete