An Oyster Catcher Juvi Close Up

[DustinFinn]

Hi All,

Might be my first image posted to the site - been lurking around a lot - haven't been out to shoot until recently.

This is from Friday while at the beach.
Was there today also, but disappointed in having to constantly move while others tried to follow birds and then walk into line of photographing view.

It's rough out there.

http://www.dustinfinn.com/gallery/Posted_2008/2008.07.11_081012_NickersonBeach_IMG_1724_ww_800_. jpg
(Image EXIF is Intact Inside Image)
Canon 40D, 1/800th, F/8, ISO-200, 600mm (300/2.8 + 2xTC)

C&C please.

[Doug Brown]

Welcome Dustin! Excellent first photo post! Sharpness and exposure are perfect. Like the walking pose. I'd add a little more to the top of the frame. Thanks for posting!

[Ted Scalzo]

Nice image Dustin very clean. I would agree about a little more room at the top.
You will see mine from today is not nearly as nice as this.
:)

[DustinFinn]

Nice image Dustin very clean. I would agree about a little more room at the top.
You will see mine from today is not nearly as nice as this.
:)

Well think of this, I shot this with the set up you used today, because sitting there, and not chasing the birds, allowed them to do what they do and while I laid there - BAM - right in my view and got this shot.

I will back tomorrow... :)

I'll see about adding some at the top - I have reservations about it.

[Ramon M. Casares]

Love it, the walking pose, the eye contact, tyhe exposure, the light seems just a bit harsh, but still outstanding shot! Congrats!

[Steve Wheeler]

Sharpness, detail, exposure, pose all look great to me. What if you cropped a bit off the right side bringing the bird over to the left more?

Steve

[Judy Lynn Malloch]

Wonderful low angle and love the walking pose. I agree about the crop but would love to have this in my files. Big welcome Dustin and we will be watching for your future posts. Thanks for sharing.

[LouBuonomo]

Oh sure the 500 wasn't good enough for you. Yeah these guys were sweet walking right up to us when keeping still in the sand.

[Arthur Morris]

Hi Dustin, Please go back and post the specs with the image. I, for one, cannot find them and in addition, it makes it easier for all viewing the image. Thanks! Lots more later.

[john crookes]

Sharpness, detail, exposure, pose all look great to me. What if you cropped a bit off the right side bringing the bird over to the left more?

Steve
When you crop on the right does that not move the bird to the right more so or am i missing something from physics

[DustinFinn]

When you crop on the right does that not move the bird to the right more so or am i missing something from physics

I too thought this was odd, but I am just assuming crop the left part of the image...

I like the space tho...

[Arthur Morris]

Hi All, Might be my first image posted to the site - been lurking around a lot - haven't been out to shoot until recently.This is from Friday while at the beach. Was there today also, but disappointed in having to constantly move while others tried to follow birds and then walk into line of photographing view. It's rough out there.
Canon 40D, 1/800th, F/8, ISO-200, 600mm (300/2.8 + 2xTC) C&C please.

Hi Dustin, Thanks for going back and posting the specs with the image. You did a good job with the EXP considering a way less than ideal light angle. The bird is simply a bit too large in the frame. A VERT capture would have been perfect but those are very hard to do when on the ground and the bird is walking.

As for your field ethics problems, I would need to know a bit more to offer help. If you are the first one working a bird on the beach and folks who show up after you get right in front of you you have every right to open you mouth and tell the to move. A firm "excuse me" often works well.

Was that the situation or were you photographing with a group?

Continuing, if a group of folks was photographing the bird with shorter lenses when you showed up, the onus is on the new guy with the longer lens to move even when the folks in front move.

I would love to hear the exact situation. Thanks.

[Jodee Novak]

Great job on this image, Dustin! Sounds like it was a rough day out there at Nickerson on the day you got this! Love the exposure and the sharpness. Would love to see the repost if you work on the "tightness "- maybe a little more room at top would be pleasing to the eye??? Also, what would you think about taking out the green grass in the lower left corner?

It was a pleasure meeting you yesterday. I got nothing! The confusion about the 100-400 and the 1.4 TC threw me for a loop - and I forgot to change camera settings when I took off the TC! Hopefully it's true that "we learn from our mistakes" because I made about 350 of them yesterday!!!! :( Thanks for your help and suggestions - I totally get it now and understand why I lost autofocus!

Hope to see you again out there again!

[DustinFinn]

Hi Dustin, Thanks for going back and posting the specs with the image. You did a good job with the EXP considering a way less than ideal light angle. The bird is simply a bit too large in the frame. A VERT capture would have been perfect but those are very hard to do when on the ground and the bird is walking.


Can you elaborate on why it being too large in the frame is a negative about this image?
Space left equally at top and bottom provide space for matting but I'd like to understand why it should be smaller.



As for your field ethics problems, I would need to know a bit more to offer help. If you are the first one working a bird on the beach and folks who show up after you get right in front of you you have every right to open you mouth and tell the to move. A firm "excuse me" often works well.

Was that the situation or were you photographing with a group?

Continuing, if a group of folks was photographing the bird with shorter lenses when you showed up, the onus is on the new guy with the longer lens to move even when the folks in front move.

I would love to hear the exact situation. Thanks.

I don't think it's needed to be hashed out here - but if you'd like a picture of the last and final instance that made me go insane - I can send you a picture of the photographer that walking into my view of camera and sat down there.

[Arthur Morris]

Can you elaborate on why it being too large in the frame is a negative about this image?

The general rule is that subjects that take up more than 75% of either dimension of the frame, in this case, the vertical dimension or height of the frame, look stuffed into the frame. (Where did that rule come from? From me...) Furthermore, you have taken a relatively tall subject and stuffed it into a HORZ frame (as I believe that I mentioned previously). In this image the chick takes up probably a bit more than 80% of the frame. Birds need room in the frame to be, to live, to move, etc. That is my take on it. You however, are the artist. If you wish to crop tight on all four sides that is your choice, but that does not mean that I nor anyone else needs to like it that way.

Space left equally at top and bottom provide space for matting but I'd like to understand why it should be smaller.

My general rule here is that with rare exception there needs to be more room above the bird than below the bird. Again, this is my "rule." With everyone here wishing for more room above the bird, I think that it is a pretty good rule... In addition, the bird needs more room in front of the bird to give the chick someplace to go. If you have chosen VERT for this image, then you could either have centered the suject or given it a bit more room in front than in back.

I don't think it's needed to be hashed out here - but if you'd like a picture of the last and final instance that made me go insane - I can send you a picture of the photographer that walking into my view of camera and sat down there.

Hey Justin, you brought it up. I was just trying to help. As far as someone getting in front of you, I've been there and done that. I would welcome seeing the image with your comments in the General Photograpy Discussion Forum. If issues like this are not brought up and discussed how will folks learn to behave better in the field. If you do post it there, please send me a link.