Razorbill, Bempton Cliffs East Yorks. 2nd June 2006
Went to Bempton Cliffs for some flight shots. However I spotted a Razobill close to the top of the cliff and by leaning over the edge I could just manage a clear shot. I would have prefered to shoot at a lower angle but other than by abseiling down the cliff face it wasn't possible.
Plenty of puffins flying about but too distant for a 400mm. Very few seemed to have caught any sand eels.
Techs
1d2n 400mm f5.6L x1.4, 1/2500th F8 ISO800. Cropped to a portrait format. Sharpened etc in PS.
A good portrait shot in the circumstances, the yellow in the razorbill's mouth is very distinctive and works well in photographs if you can catch them with the bill open.
I guess you were set up for flight shots with the ISO800 and 1/2500th shutter speed but if you had the time it would be worth reducing the ISO a fraction on this shot, if only to give you a bit more latitude to pull up the blacks without excessive noise artifacts. Good exposure on the whites though.
I have often thought about a trip to Bempton but my impression is you need very long telephoto lenses to be successful. Are the gannets easier to photograph with a 400mm on a 1D2n?
A very different Razorbill shot,the yellow in the mouth makes the shot,exposure for the blacks and whites is very good and the sea green behind the bird rounds it off nicely
Hi there
Dave, I forget to mention that I was experimenting with a circ polariser - to darken the sea background.
Sean - for flight shots of Gannets (certainly on a decent day) I find the 400mm is plenty to get frame filling shots of them, even a 300mm can be. The bulk of the gannets are flying about down below the cliffs for them you need 500mm upwards - but I just wait for ones that come up level/abit above the cliff - they can fly by very close.
Even using the 1d2n I find the AF (center point only) can be problematic - when shooting gannets against the sea - sometimes not enough contrast to lock on - but when it does wow.
Nice, I like the different angle here, sure a lower viewpoint would have been nice but this image highlights the colour inside the mouth very nicely indeed
Wow, I like almost everything about this shot, fantastic. Almost? Well, bird a smidgen more centred and more colour variation in the background would have made this absolutely perfect for me.
Discussion
7 repliesWent to Bempton Cliffs for some flight shots. However I spotted a Razobill close to the top of the cliff and by leaning over the edge I could just manage a clear shot. I would have prefered to shoot at a lower angle but other than by abseiling down the cliff face it wasn't possible.
Plenty of puffins flying about but too distant for a 400mm. Very few seemed to have caught any sand eels.
Techs
1d2n 400mm f5.6L x1.4, 1/2500th F8 ISO800. Cropped to a portrait format. Sharpened etc in PS.
By for now
John
A good portrait shot in the circumstances, the yellow in the razorbill's mouth is very distinctive and works well in photographs if you can catch them with the bill open.
I guess you were set up for flight shots with the ISO800 and 1/2500th shutter speed but if you had the time it would be worth reducing the ISO a fraction on this shot, if only to give you a bit more latitude to pull up the blacks without excessive noise artifacts. Good exposure on the whites though.
I have often thought about a trip to Bempton but my impression is you need very long telephoto lenses to be successful. Are the gannets easier to photograph with a 400mm on a 1D2n?
cheers
Sean
Dave, I forget to mention that I was experimenting with a circ polariser - to darken the sea background.
Sean - for flight shots of Gannets (certainly on a decent day) I find the 400mm is plenty to get frame filling shots of them, even a 300mm can be. The bulk of the gannets are flying about down below the cliffs for them you need 500mm upwards - but I just wait for ones that come up level/abit above the cliff - they can fly by very close.
Even using the 1d2n I find the AF (center point only) can be problematic - when shooting gannets against the sea - sometimes not enough contrast to lock on - but when it does wow.
I'll post a FF Gannet shot later in the week
John
I agree with Phil. Until I saw your shot, I never knew Razorbills had yellow mouths!
Dave
Forest of Dean, UK