Piping Plover On the Move

[Melissa Groo]

Canon 1D4
500mm +1.4x
Skimmer Pod

1/4000 sec
f/6.3
ISO 800

Tired of drooling with jealousy over everyone's shorebird posts, and wishing I lived closer to a large body of water now more than ever, I decided to console myself by looking back at some frames from the Plovers and Terns Shoot the Light workshop with Mike Milicia out on the beach in MA back in June. Here is one I just "discovered" that I liked. It was taken at sunrise and i liked the spotlight effect of the low sun, the urgency of the plover's movement, and her open bill.
Crop, sharpened, whites recovery, NR, and some minor beach clean up.
Thanks for looking. All comments and critiques greatly appreciated.

[laurie golden]

Melissa,

Every time I see a post from someone on the east coast I am so envious of all of the great birds you all are photographing.

This little plover is so cute. I love the line she is walking on with such determination. Composition and background are great.

[Karl Egressy]

This is so cute Melissa.
He/she put a smile on my face.
I like the slightly open beak raised foot, and the "urgency" in his/her muvement.
Sun is up, time to get down to business, feeding that is.

[Arthur Morris]

Very sweet and well executed: EXP, SH, and low perspective. I think that a big crop from the top to a pano would really make this sing.

[Marina Scarr]

Great light and pose on this plover, Melissa. Either crop works for me. The pano crop makes for a completely different photograph.

[Satish Ranadive]

Magnificent image in beautiful lights with very nice composition.Love the marching pose,open beak,colors and shadows behind the legs.

Regards,
Satish.

[arash_hazeghi]

great pose and low angle with nice details.

[Ignacio Yufera]

I love these plovers. Really like the feel of movement and the "rushed" expression. IMO, the space above helps to emphasize the bird's small size; I like it as presented.

[christopher galeski]

good low angle,nice details,looks like he is late for work.thanks.

[Gary Esman]

Hey Melissa, this is outstanding. You got her in the normal routine, running around the beach. Love the raised foot, open beak, very low angle and that determined look on the face. Very nice.

Gary.

[Melissa Groo]

Thanks a lot for all the comments and Artie for your suggestion. Here is a pano just for comparison. I am not sure yet which I prefer, have to think on it a bit.

[Arthur Morris]

Thanks Mel. Below is what I had in mind. In the original, there is just too much negative space at top for me. You could do a much better job with the full sized image :S3:.

[Arthur Morris]

ps; I also lightened it just a bit by pulling the curve up.

[Melissa Groo]

Thanks Artie. I like that much better than my own attempt. I was thinking it might need more room at front after I did the pano crop. You did it justice, thank you. That bit of lightening was a help too.

[Arthur Morris]

YAW; that's why they pay me the big bucks here :S3:. Not!

[Jack Breakfast]

Commander Morris strikes again! A very good picture made better by a whizbang crop. These panos can sometimes be troubling, but this one is shining, singing, etc. PS I do not envy anyone's access to shorebirds. Instead, I twist and turn and contemplate various relocations...

[Cheryl Arena Molennor]

Very nice. I like both versions but prefer Artie's version of the light as I would have suggested a slight curve adjustment myself. Love the running feet.

[gail bisson]

I really like everything about this one Melissa!
I like the color of the BG the best as well as the feeling of forward motion.
Excellent,
Gail

[Arthur Morris]

Commander Morris strikes again! A very good picture made better by a whizbang crop. These panos can sometimes be troubling, but this one is shining, singing, etc. PS I do not envy anyone's access to shorebirds. Instead, I twist and turn and contemplate various relocations...

Thanks Captain Jack. I like Commander Morris to go with Captain James :S3:.

[Miguel Palaviccini]

I like both crops quite a bit. I think the bright bird on the dark background compliment each other really well.

[Sanjeevprakash]

Excellent Shot,Mellisa.Beautiful colors and well exposed Bird.The details are sharp.Love the Low angle.Both the Re-post are equally good IMO.TFS

[Bill Dix]

I don't know how you missed this one the first time around. I would have jumped on it the day after the workshop. Oh yeah, I almost forgot, you came back with tons of wonderful images. In any event this one is terrific, with great low angle, light, walking pose. I love the OP, but Artie's pano repost is great too. Two for the price of one. Well done.

[Daniel Cadieux]

Love the hunched look, open bill, dark BG, low angle. Pano crop works very well.

[Robert Holguin]

Wonderful shot. Excellent shooting angle, love the walking pose, lovely light, and I really like Artie's repost best.
Well done.