From the first trip

[Desmond Chan]

This is one of the shots from my very first bird-photo outing on Jun 1, 2007. I just bought my 70-300 VR in May and so I was thinking why not try shooting birds now that I got a 300mm. And this is a better one from that day. Believe it or not, I don't remember I took it. I saw this on the LCD and that was how I found out I had something kind of presentable. A lucky shot for sure...for a beginner. That has been my favorite as this is my very first kind of successful bird in flight kind of shot.

S5; 70-300 @ 185 mm; f5 1/1000 sec ISO 320. I was using shutter priority with auto ISO. No flash.

Here's the full shot of it. I enhanced the color a little bit plus some sharpening.

Please critique ! Tell me what you'd do to make it look better, how you'd crop or not crop, things that I should have paid attention to, etc., etc. :)

Thanks!

[Nicki Gwynn Jones]

Hi Desmond - I've had my DSLR for 9 months and am still waiting for an action shot like this!!! As regards the cropping I would be tempted to make it more of a pano image and clone out the OOF bird if necessary. I feel that this would really emphasize the 'skidmarks.' I too am quite attached to my (few) early successes!!!

[Lance Peters]

Maybe something like this.

:)

[Nicki Gwynn Jones]

Yes - much better!!

[Alfred Forns]

Like it a lot Desmond !!!!

Good crop Lance but I think to me part of the appeal was the second duck in the bg Did my crop incorporating the other but asked the duck to move up a little :) Sure looks good !!! btw the shoulder is a little overcooked !!!

[Oscar Zangroniz]

Desmond, great capture. I like the colors and the composition, though I like the crop repost myself.
Regards,

[Katie Rupp]

Nice action shot and I like Al's crop. I wouldn't have thought about leaving the other bird but it does work better. You the man, Alfred!