Puffin Portrait

A last minute dash to Skomer on Tuesday with a good friend found an overcast and wet Pembrokshire cost. We were also shocked to be joined on the boat by a Getty Images staff photgrapher! As a result of a storm the day before, most of the Puffins were out a sea during the brief landing time. The best results came from shooting tight to avoid the inclusion of the decaying flowers that surround the burrows at this time of year. I know they have been photographed to death (and much better) but I will be back next year!

Nikon D3X and 600 F4 Lens. 1/320, F8 at ISO 200. Aperature Priority with -1EV.
Minor levels and curves in NX2 and CS5. 10% crop off the height for this forum.

A beauty! I really like the way you have isolated the bill against the dark background. A clean and crisp image overall. Maybe a smidgeon tight by his tail.

Really like this, lovely soft light and the tonality of the image sets the bird nicely gainst the bakground but retains detail, well done

Ian, I agree it is a bit tight on the tail but because of limitations with tripod placement it was a choice between losing space on the tail or bill.

Nice clean portrait, nit covered and might add a little more light to the neck and wing areas as they could easily blend with the dark BG, not too much as it looks great.

Brett

Minor nits covered. A nice image.
JR

A bit tight at the back but a super, well exposed portrait.

Phil.

Nice control of the whites, Andy. A solid and detailed portrait to have in the bag. Dark BG sets off the beak really nicely.

Chris

Agree about being a touch tight at the tail, but still a super shot. I was there yesterday, and the place was crawling with schoolkids!

Super Shot Andrew, nits covered. A lovely clean crisp shot well done
Bronia