Up at 2:39 am; Everything Comes Together...

[Arthur Morris]

I had the alarm set for 3:30 am today, July 4, but woke with a start almost an hour earlier thinking that I had left my 400 DO on the Hooptie Deux the previous Tuesday. I ran to the SUV only to see the bag sitting safely in my vehicle. But I was up for good. 78 miles to the dock listening to a good CD book and then met James Shadle and Son Blake. Before 6:30 am we were in the water behind our tripods. It felt like a sauna even before the sun came over the mangroves. By 9:15 am we were packed up and headed for home. By then it felt like a sauna on high. With water on the coals. It had been a truly wondrous morning, one of the best I have enjoyed at Alafia. The only negative of the day was a misguied couple tooling around on a jet ski. Can you imagine bringing a jet ski to a large wading bird rookery? Well, you will not believe this but the guy was there to photograph the birds.... Truly stunning.

IAC this just-fledgled Roseate Spoonbill was photographed with the Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens, the 1.4X II TC, and the EOS-1D MIII. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1/3 stop: 1/400 sec. at f/10 set manually. (Minor clean-up on the base of the bill.)

Don't be shy; all comments welcome.

[Kobus Tollig]

Super exposure and great light with Super detail. I would like some space at the Bottom. Super well done Sir

[Axel Hildebrandt]

Beautiful light, angle, details, BG and a very good-looking specimen. I'm glad you had a good morning despite the jet ski guy.

[Dave Phillips]

the subtle pink body and the soft pastels about the bill and eye make this a joy to look at.
Just love those "baby" colors.......recalling the one closeup James recently posted. For me
it is a tough call for comp on this one, but not sure what I would have done differently.

Just one jet ski huh.....I get early morning bass fishermen

[Arthur Morris]

The birds reacted to the sound of the jet ski several times. And the most amazing part is that both of the riders are bird photographers.

[Arthur Morris]

Super exposure and great light with Super detail. I would like some space at the Bottom. Super well done Sir

Thanks K, To my eye the COMP is perfectly balanced as is. I would not dream of adding or having any more on the bottom as it would spoil the balance.

What do you think that having more space below would do for the image?

[Mike Tracy]

Wonderful colors through out the bird that you captured perfectly. If there was a ideal head angle for this subject you nailed it. One of the nicest examples of a young spoonbill I have seen.


The birds reacted to the sound of the jet ski several times. And the most amazing part is that both of the riders are bird photographers.

I very respectfully disagree with your position. I have a pontoon boat that I can stealthy navigate via trolling motor and am able to closely approach birds such as on the H.D. I also believe that jet skiers and not jet skies can be the bane of waterways if operated in a careless and disrespectful manner. Numerous times I have cursed them but probably no more so then inconsiderate boat operators and in particular air boaters.

Your fortunate that you have a network of friends who will take you out on their boats. Obviously these folks on the jet skies do not but share the same passion as yourself. Knowing of your fortitude I believe you too would do what ever it takes to get to where you needed to go regardless of how you got there.

[Rod Wiley]

Very nice work, Don't ya love that little Hot Flash you get when you tap your wallet and don't feel it right away, and look down at your gear and a lens is missing! The relief you feel when walking out to the truck at 11:00 at night looking through the window and seeing that lost piece on the floor boards.

[Arthur Morris]

I think that I understand that it is the folks driving the jet skis who are the problem, not the jet skis themselves (if operated by considerate folks). In this case, the folks on the jet ski who were both photographers just did not engage their brains. I think that their passion overcame their common sense, or else they just do not care at all about the birds.

ps; I do not understand what this has to do with anything: I have a pontoon boat that I can stealthily navigate via trolling motor and am able to closely approach birds such as on the H.D."

Please explain.

[Arthur Morris]

Very nice work, Don't ya love that little Hot Flash you get when you tap your wallet and don't feel it right away, and look down at your gear and a lens is missing! The relief you feel when walking out to the truck at 11:00 at night looking through the window and seeing that lost piece on the floor boards.


All that I know is that the adrenalin rush this morning woke me up for good!

[Mike Tracy]

I think that I understand that it is the folks driving the jet skis who are the problem, not the jet skis themselves (if operated by considerate folks). In this case, the folks on the jet ski who were both photographers just did not engage their brains. I think that their passion overcame their common sense, or else they just do not care at all about the birds.

ps; I do not understand what this has to do with anything: I have a pontoon boat that I can stealthily navigate via trolling motor and am able to closely approach birds such as on the H.D."

Please explain.

In that I am keenly aware of the necessity to maintain a sense of solitude in order to approach our subjects. This is as opposed to the loud noise of the rotax motors emitted by PWC's.

[Arthur Morris]

In that I am keenly aware of the necessity to maintain a sense of solitude in order to approach our subjects. This is as opposed to the loud noise of the rotax motors emitted by PWC's.

I agree with that 100%. Now I am even more confused as to why you said that you disagreed with me in your original post. My main point was that a jet ski going at anything more than idle speed has no business anywhere near a rookery....

[Kaustubh Deshpande]

Arhur, excellent head angle. really liked it. You have successfully captured the innocence in the face.

I am surprised no one mentioned it so far. It looks a bit overexposed to my eyes. Its probably my monitor..or just a matter of personal taste.

[Mike Tracy]

I agree with that 100%. Now I am even more confused as to why you said that you disagreed with me in your original post. My main point was that a jet ski going at anything more than idle speed has no business anywhere near a rookery....

I guess in the end we do agree :). I interpreted your original statement as a disdain for jet skis being at the rookery regardless.

Any water craft should proceed as a no wake zone when approaching sensitive areas.

[Axel Hildebrandt]

I am surprised no one mentioned it so far. It looks a bit overexposed to my eyes. Its probably my monitor..or just a matter of personal taste.

It doesn't look overexposed on my monitor and the histogram shows no spike on the right. There is one on the left side however. Since the BG looks perfectly fine, I'm a bit puzzled about it.

[Dave Phillips]

It doesn't look overexposed on my monitor and the histogram shows no spike on the right. There is one on the left side however. Since the BG looks perfectly fine, I'm a bit puzzled about it.
looks fine here too....there is a very minor spike in blue, all in the darker bg areas.....totally negligible.

[Arthur Morris]

I am surprised no one mentioned it so far. It looks a bit overexposed to my eyes. Its probably my monitor..or just a matter of personal taste.

K, You need to calibrate your monitor and check out the calibration strip each time that you sit down at the computer. :) :) :) Do you know what you are supposed to be seeing on the strip?

ps: there are no hot pixels at all in this image.

[Grace Scalzo]

The eye contact and soft colors of the juvi contrasted by the rich bg make this a very intimate portrait. There is a sense of one-ness about it, like you're a part of his (or her) world, not merely an observer of it. I don't want to analyze it too much as somethings are to be taken in and simply enjoyed, but, I believe that the eye contact and the gently relaxed neck give it that feeling.

[Arthur Morris]

Thanks Grace. I sorta like this one a whole bunch too... I went for baby spoonbill head portraits with James last year and we could not get close at all and we had some lousy light... This morning was mega. Got some more killer stuff....

[Kaustubh Deshpande]

Arthur, thx. I will try to look into my display settings. I know what to look at in the strip. I find the following site very helpful too: http://www.lagom.nl/lcd-test/

I did not think there were hot pixels. I just think it might look a little better pulled down a bit. thats all.

[Arthur Morris]

Kaustubh,

I did not think there were hot pixels. I just think it might look a little better pulled down a bit. thats all.[/quote]

Thanks for the link. If your monitor is not calibrated, then the opinion that you share above is baseless.... We all need to play on a level field :)

[Kobus Tollig]

Sorry for only coming back now. For me to add at the bottom will give the bill more space. I just looks a bit tight imo, taste does dif lol.

[Stu Bowie]

Amazingly sharp Artie, super comp, and love the softer colours of the bill. Glad you had a great morning, and images like this, make it all the worth while.

[Ilija Dukovski]

Image looks perfectly fine on my monitor.

Do you know what you are supposed to be seeing on the strip?


I don't. Can you tell us, please?

[Arthur Morris]

You should be able to see differences in tonality in the lightest three strips on the right and in the darkest three strips on the left. On my laptop I simply adjust the angle of the screen. Do note that none of this works unless your monitor is calibrated.

[Ilija Dukovski]

You should be able to see differences in tonality in the lightest three strips on the right and in the darkest three strips on the left. On my laptop I simply adjust the angle of the screen. Do note that none of this works unless your monitor is calibrated.

Thank you, quite obvious, after you told us. I do tilt the screen, I never looked at the strip though.

[Ramon M. Casares]

I like this one better than the other one you posted Artie, the body angle is much better IMO. Great exposure, BG, detail, subject and comp. Congratulations.

[Blake Shadle]

Definitely overexposed, Artie... kidding :D The whites are what they were in the field, bright white. You nailed the exposure, and I like the strong composition. The jet ski couple really made it a special morning haha.

[Ákos Lumnitzer]

I like the image Artie very much. I think the HA is perfect, but would not expect less of you. Did you know the people on that jetski by any chance? Maybe you should have said something to them then. In my view though, it would be best if people would not go near any rookery especially in breeding season so all human disturbance is removed altogether. But then again, I am probably over the top.

Have a great day! :)

[Krijn Trimbos]

Lovely subtle portrait! The colours and detail really make this one for me! The BG sets the subject off nicely and what a terrific looking bill!

[Jasper Doest]

One of the most subtle bird portraits I've seen here. Very very nice Artie! Congrats...! The softness of the bill, the fresh colors...it works really well here.

[Kaustubh Deshpande]

Arthur, I looked into calibration of my monitor. I also looked at this from a couple of computers that I have acess to at work. I am afraid, I will have to put it down to personal taste! Or as Blake said, the whites were that bright in the field and without that perspective, I probably find it a little over. If I would have seen it, I would have found it fine as well.

Anyways, I took the liberty to do some curves. What do you think about my repost? I am here to learn from masters like you. I am also learning PP techniques. So thx in advance.
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[Arthur Morris]

Thanks K, Your repost looks fine but the whites are a little dark for my taste. Actually, the bird in my original post has the whites toned down quite a bit (with a Linear Burn). In the field they are pretty much pure white--no pink showing at all. The more I look at yours the more I like it.

[Kaustubh Deshpande]

Thanks for the thumbs up. For a novice like me, that does mean a lot.

[Arthur Morris]

YAW sir. I know which one you will like in my latest post....