Great Frigatebird

[Bill Dix]

Searching my old files for a black bird, I came across this one from five years ago, taken off North Seymour Island, Galapagos. I've learned some things since then; among them: don't try to shoot a black bird in flight at mid-day in the sunny tropics, from a moving boat, with a lens that is notoriously bad for BIF. But it IS a black bird, and I don't have many that I haven't previously posted at one time or another.

D90, 80-400VR @ 165mm, 1/2000s @ f/7.1, Ap @ -0.3 EV, HH.

[gail bisson]

Love your accompanying story!:bg3:
Good solid image of a terrific bird.
It would be nice to see a bit more detail under the wings but considering your limitations it is nice and sharp and the eye is nice and clear.
Best part is the clear view of the "wattle"?
Gail

[Shawn Zierman]

Nice image quality given all the difficulties you describe facing...The cloudy background is very nice! I like the way bill shows against the very dark wing.

[Ivan Ellison]

Niced image, very difficult to get everything right, but you have managed most of it, Some detail under the wing, nice sharp eye and bill against the far wing. I think they can look too false if too much detail is showing, this looks nice and natural to me. Well done

[David Salem]

Great look at the head and wattle on this handsome bird. The light hit the head nice but the rest of the body is pretty shaded, and for a black bird, it makes for a darker smooth or grainny under wing, depending if you use NR or not. Looks like you used it on the left wing and not so much on the right one. Nice capture of a challenging subject. Oh, love the sky on this one.