Puffin - (Fratercula arctica)

Having got very close and personal with these guys you just do not realise just how tiny they actually are! These guys are, at present, cleaning up their burrows and adding new nesting material into them.

Steve
MKIII 70-200 f/2.8 f/7.1 1/640sec ISO400 (HH, FF)

no nits from me Steve although the green background may be a bit vivid for some. A lovely portrait.

Matt

Nice portrait Steve

I like the out of focus back and foreground, it makes the puffin stand out very well

well done

Ron

Actually Matt the only bit of processing was a hint of USM the rest is 'all in camera', but I know what you mean, however that's what I intended, purely to balance the bright, bold vivid bill of the Puffin.

Excellent Steve,

Central eye position works well with this look back from the Puffin. I like the light coming through the beak.

Cheers

Austin

I think you achieved exactly what you set out to Steve, all works very nicely for me and the colours all round are spot on.. Love it..

Brett

lovely colours in this although I would have liked to have seen the back end of the bird sharp to

Lovely shot Steve, it's good to see so much detail in the blacks as well as that glowing bill.
eric

Nicely handled shot Steve - the back-light on the bill adds a lot.

Would have probably liked the mush at the bottom to extend all the way to the right but that is just a personal choice not a nit.

Cheers,
Chris

That'll do .balance is nicely done .As long as the eye is pin ....the DoF is spot on for me .Nice to see that detail in the feathers too.

Hi Steve,

Thats a cracker! DoF is fine for me also, I agree with Chris about the half mush half not, but not much you could do there.

Cheers,

Lewis.

Nice to see the details in the feathers...and a good portrait to boot too. For me its a bit stark, could have done with a bit of thrift in to provide a bit more balance. The DoF works pretty good, apart from the tail feathers but the background is glorious.

Ian

Nice detail in the plumage. There looks to be a cyan colour cast on the face due probably due to shading and it extends to the underside whites as well; I think the image would look better if this were corrected in processing.

Beautiful portrait, Steve. Lovely colours, great detail and the puffin stands out very well. The only minor nit for me, is the tightness on the left side. Do yo have some space left there?

Thanks for the comments guys.

Re DOF spot on for me as I just felt all in focus and you would be looking more at his butt being the closest part, than the head. Phil see what you mean, just a fraction off, thanks. Sandra, I think you mean rhs, sadly no.

Steve