Buller's Albatross

[Dorian Anderson]

This is another salvage shot from New Zealand as it was taken at 2:30 in the afternoon (sunset wasn't until 7:30!). I had no choice in the light cuz the boat went 12-3. I worked with what I had.

That said, I think this bird is in the running for best beak in the business, so I figured I'd post it. It's also a species few here will ever see, so there's that.

I'd love for a bit more room to the right of the bird, but that's easier said than done when decent swell is moving both bird and boat/photographer!

Sadly, there wasn't enough wind to make these wind-loving birds fly on this day. There's nothing like seeing them in heavy winds. They are the most
incredible flyers!

Canon 600mm f/4 IS II on EOS 5D Mark IV
1/4000 at f/5.6, ISO 640, handheld
Processed in LR CC without major trickery. Did remove some distracting beads of water and small smudge on bird's side.

[Joseph Przybyla]

Hi Dorian, I would say pretty good under the conditions you describe. Your right I have never seen one before. Love the colors of the bird, the eye and bill. I did a quick edit because you said you wished more room on the right. Thank you for sharing.

[Dorian Anderson]

The edit looks good! I'm just resistant to adding canvas in all the but the more dire circumstances. I don't mind removing elements from a frame but I feel really weird about adding!

The additional sharpening you added looks good as well.

[Joseph Przybyla]

The edit looks good! I'm just resistant to adding canvas in all the but the more dire circumstances. I don't mind removing elements from a frame but I feel really weird about adding!

The additional sharpening you added looks good as well.

Hi Dorian, I guess I think adding canvas is a tool sometimes needed. You noted the subtle change, actually it wasn't sharpening. It was Adobe Artifical Intelligence (Sensei) available in ACR and Lightroom. I just clicked the auto exposure button. Most times it gives really good starting point, normally only minor tweaks after that. It uses billions of images in a database to set the exposure.

[dankearl]

I like the tight comp in the first better.. Bill is great, BG maybe too saturated?
Sharpening a bit better in second.

[Isaac Grant]

Awesome bird that I hope to see one day and if I ever see it I really hope to not be puking on it :e3

I like the tight comp of your original post but have zero problems adding canvas from an ethical perspective. It is really just arbitrary anyway. It is not like in reality that there was a line a few inches from the bird. Reality is that there was nothing but ocean probably for as far as the eye could see. The small little part of the world that the camera captured is not indicative of reality. It is not what our eyes saw so why not make the image better and not worry about the couple inches. Anyway my perspective but I do get the purist point of get what is in the camera or do it over.

I like your choice of crop and perfect body angle and head angle for this type of shot for me. The light did not help you to get optimal image quality but considering the conditions you did very well.

[John Mack]

You did very well under the conditions you describe. Nice pose with a good head angle.

[annmpacheco]

Thanks for sharing Dorian, they are truly quite handsome and what a trophy beak, yikes that could be construed as "politically incorrect!"

[Arthur Morris]

Great bird, head angle, bill, and I like the streaky look of the grey feathers of the face. I too am fine with the original image design.

with love, artie

ps: from what port?

[Dorian Anderson]

Great bird, head angle, bill, and I like the streaky look of the grey feathers of the face. I too am fine with the original image design.

with love, artie

ps: from what port?


Out of Stewart Island. Wonderful place!

[Krishna Prasad kotti]

Very Nice Image. I like the yellow color in the beak

I like both images

Thanks
Krishna