Summer Sanderling

[Rich Steel]

Hi

Back around the end of May I was strolling along my local beach with camera in hand and I came across some Sanderling. This is the first time I have seen them in the summer colours and it took a few moments to convinnce myself that they were Sanderling as they usually only on the beach during the winter. It must have been a group of birds that stopped off on the journey northwards to the breeding grounds. In fact it probably won't be long before they are back as the wader numbers are starting to build now.

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k217/squidfish_2006/sanderling82009.jpg

Taken with 50D with 500mm lens and 1.4TC at ISO400 F8 +0.33 EV at 1/1000s

Cheers

Rich

[Peter Hawrylyshyn]

Rich
Like the compositon, mood, BKGD color, HA and vivid summer colors of the bird
If i were to change anything - might consider removing/toning down the bright white BKGD in upper LC
Very nicely done , thanks for sharing
PH

[Harshad Barve]

lovely compo, exposure , nice details , BG & HA
works for me as presented
TFS

[Matt Vosniak]

Rich, this is a very nice shot. I really like the low angle and your composition is great. The detail and colors in the bird look awesome. Nice capture.

[Joerg Rockenberger]

Nice composition and exposure. But I am not sure if the head is sharp. Seems like the focus is more back on the shoulder. JR

[Gal Shon]

Like the compositon, mood, BKGD color, HA and vivid summer colors of the bird
If i were to change anything - might consider removing/toning down the bright white BKGD in upper LC
I agree with that, and I think that a lower angle would upgrade the image.

[Arthur Morris]

Love the pretty much full breeding plumage. Good EXP and image design though I would take a bit off the bottom (to the top of the letters on your name). I would have loved to see one in full profile for a great view of the coverts and scapulars. All in all a very good image that would have been improved had you been able to get right on the ground.

I agree that the back is a tad sharper than the head but the head is sharp enough for me.

[Austin Thomas]

Nicely done Rich, Great exposure.

Did you choose the 50D for this image for the "extra" reach (sensor factor) or was the 1D body away for calibration ?

Cheers

Austin

[Rich Steel]

Thanks for the replies and suggestions for improvement. As usual the session with the sanderling produced quite a large number of images including some at a lower angle on the beach and in the water including some full side profiles to show the plumage. I posted this particular image as I quite like the bird being right on the edge between water and sand which may have been lost at a lower angle.

Austin if I recall this was when the Mk3 was away for the last fix. I must admit the extra 'reach' of the 50D is useful on occasions.

Cheers

Rich

[Arthur Morris]

Thanks Rich. Feel free to post your best side view here for comparison.

[Rich Steel]

Hi Artie

I checked through the photos, this is the closest I have to a side profile for the bird with the most developed summer plumage. Starting to lose some DOF on this one as the birds by this point were up really close.

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k217/squidfish_2006/sanderling232009.jpg

I took some better profile photos than this but on these birds the plumage was not so well developed on the wings. If you are interested in seeing a couple of more of them they can be found here:

http://wildlifephotographic.blogspot.com/2009/05/summer-sanderling-i-normally-spend-my.html


Cheers

Rich

[Arthur Morris]

Thanks! I like them both but would give a slight edge to this one. Killer breeding plumage. Again, for the repost getting right on the ground if possible would have been the BOMB!