Nature Photographers Network
This is the preserved archive of the original Nature Photographers Network. The community continues at naturephotographers.network.
Forums · UKNP

grey seal

Discussion

31 replies
Posted by eric weight on June 16, 2010 at 11:34 AM
grey seal
While photographing razorbills recently, this fellow was watching me from the waters of a narrow inlet below. I noticed that, through the viewfinder, the water became invisible as he drifted into the shadow of the rocks opposite so I deliberately under-exposed the shot to make the shadows darker still and to try and catch him ghostlike hanging in space. I also took a couple of shots with a more accurate exposure in case I needed to steal some more detail but in the end I just brightened the face a little using layers in CS3. I must admit I like this one, although I am not sure that it will be to everyone's taste - we shall see.

40D; 100-400 @ 400
f5.6; 1/800; iso 320 (don't ask) hand-held
small crop from the left and top for comp
fill-in flash fired at -1 2/3 exp, but I'm not really convinced that it made a lot of difference.

LARGER
C&C very welcome

:wavey: eric
Posted by Craig Jones on June 16, 2010 at 12:07 PM
:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: WOW a stunning image,beautiful thoughtout as well, stunning a class image :wink: :wink: :jump: :wavey:
Posted by Stephen Kaluski on June 16, 2010 at 12:09 PM
Really like this Eric, totally unexpected, great thinking. :toast:

Just wondered, if you lost the bottom have the 'reflection' ie made it all black below the fins, brought in levels up the rh slider to say 220, but only on the seal, not the BG so you need another layer and cropped so the head was towards the top lhs?

TFS
Steve :wavey:
Posted by Andrew Harrington on June 16, 2010 at 12:12 PM
Wonderful pic.
Posted by Chris Johnstone on June 16, 2010 at 12:51 PM
That's a fantastic image. Really original and highly arresting!

Congratulations.

Chris
Posted by Tim Munsey on June 16, 2010 at 12:54 PM
Special this one, should be an entry for WPOTY.

Tim
Posted by Des Ong on June 16, 2010 at 1:04 PM
That's a cracker my friend, well seen and taken :toast:

Des :wavey:
Posted by Nick on June 16, 2010 at 2:22 PM
Excellent :toast:
Posted by Shaun Simpson on June 16, 2010 at 2:33 PM
superb :toast:
Posted by Karen Summers on June 16, 2010 at 3:01 PM
a cracking shot
Posted by Dave Courtenay on June 16, 2010 at 3:12 PM
Thinking outside the box-Great image

Dave :toast: :toast:
Posted by Dawn Monrose on June 16, 2010 at 4:07 PM
Excellent shot, really different, and it really works, superb!
Posted by Paul Rosser on June 16, 2010 at 4:08 PM
Really different to most seal images, and I must admit, it's a stunner!!
Regards,
Paul. :wavey:
Posted by Robert Lawrence on June 16, 2010 at 4:21 PM
All been said above Eric. A real corker.
Posted by Barry Southon on June 16, 2010 at 6:32 PM
Eric

Excellent result.
:wink:
Posted by PhilH on June 17, 2010 at 2:43 AM
Oh yes, I was praising this last night but couldn't post.... A wonderful image that deserves all the praise it gets......

I might do a slight crop left and bottom to place the head roughly on a third but that in no way detracts from one of the finest images I have seen posted for some time.

:toast: :toast: :toast: :toast: :wavey: :toast: :toast: :toast: :toast:
Posted by Sandra Hendrikse on June 17, 2010 at 3:26 AM
Fantastic image. Well done. :smile: :smile:
Posted by Austin Thomas on June 17, 2010 at 4:48 AM
A cracker Eric. Very well done.

Cheers

Austin
Posted by John Robinson on June 17, 2010 at 5:55 AM
Missed this earlier.
All been said.
JR
Posted by Dave Bartlett on June 17, 2010 at 7:13 AM
Just :toast: :toast: :toast: :toast: :toast:
Posted by Ian Butler on June 17, 2010 at 9:49 AM
Top drawer stuff! :toast: :jump: :toast:
Posted by Mark Green on June 17, 2010 at 11:01 AM
i must say, one of the best images i have seen for ages.

:toast: :toast:
Mark.G
Posted by Matt Cole on June 17, 2010 at 11:12 AM
that is very unusual Eric and all the better for it. You've got a good eye to 'see' this shot. A very effective shot.

Matt :toast:
Posted by Andy Astbury on June 17, 2010 at 11:36 AM
Oh Eric - you old ba*t=$d - that is just superb matey - awesome looking image :toast:
Posted by Edwin kats on June 17, 2010 at 12:30 PM
Well seen and captured. Different and beautiful. Well done Eric.

Edwin Kats
Posted by Brett Lewis on June 17, 2010 at 2:53 PM
One of the best seal images I think I've seen.. Very well observed and taken.. Thanks so much for sharing!

Brett :toast: :toast:
Posted by Phillip Tomkinson on June 17, 2010 at 3:14 PM
Hi Eric a first class image very well observed and taken.

Phil.


:toast: :toast: :toast: :toast: :toast: :toast: :toast: :toast: :toast: :toast: :toast: :toast: :toast: :toast: :toast: :toast: :toast: :wavey:
Posted by David Kjaer on June 17, 2010 at 4:17 PM
Well seen Eric - love it.

David :toast: :toast:
Posted by Fran French on June 17, 2010 at 5:11 PM
An absolute corker, it has all been said....superb stuff!!

Fran :toast: :toast: :toast: :toast: :toast:
Posted by Mark Davies on June 18, 2010 at 4:53 AM
Something we all strive for something totally different and unique.This has it in spades .
Posted by john macpherson on June 18, 2010 at 5:37 AM
This is one of the best seal pictures I've seen in a long time. Who needs Donna Nook derivitive shots when you can have totally unique and wonderful ones like this!
Posted by Ron McCombe on June 19, 2010 at 4:07 PM
Lovely image well done