Resolute (sandpiper)

[wendell westfall]

D70s 70-200+2X@175 1/1600 f/10 ISO640 -1 2/3EV handheld

Found this fellow (sandpiper, I think) who was on a mission at the beach this morning --perhaps trying to catch up with his shadow. I was sitting pretty close, so my camera was a bit above the little guy (maybe a couple feet). The image is heavily cropped. Tweaks only in Lightroom were brightness, clarity, vibrance, contrast, NR and sharpening. C&C, please.

Wendell

[Ray Rozema]

Good eye contact and I like the mid stride. The bird looks a little soft and the rock in the foreground is quite distracting. Thanks for sharing.

[Gus Cobos]

Hi Wendell,
I like the head angle and eye contact, you were working with harsh side light...the rock in the foreground can be cropped just leaving about 1/4...and the capture angle is a tad on the steep side...and the whites are a bit warm, they can be toned down...looking forward to your next one...:cool:

[Bob Miller]

Hi Wendall...Like your image. I like the rock at the bottom...its curve helps add action to the bird's stride and shadow. TRy to bring out more details in the whites would be my only suggestion. Nice simple Bg.

[Lance Peters]

Hi wendell - gus pretty much nailed it - IMHO.

Keep tehm coming ;)

[Alfred Forns]

Hi Wendell ... the only thing that drives me crazy is seeing .."heavily cropped ..." using a 2X and not zooming all the way out !!!!

In this case the wrong light angle made for a powerful image with the shadow up front, with caption looks good. Not sure what was the point (type) focused used but is not right on the eye ... and in these little guys is not easy unless you get them larger in frame.

Might try sometime staying in one spot when they are working and let them come to you !!!

[wendell westfall]

Hi Alfred:
I rechecked my images for yesterday morning and see that I was photographing a very near, mostly white, stationary seagull (note the -1 2/3 EV, and the 170mm you have mentioned) when this little guy darted by, leaving me no time to make camera changes. I made only two very rapid exposures of him and was surprised that I got him at all -- it was almost like photographing a bird in flight. By the way, I was back there again this morning, but he was nowhere to be found. . . . excuses, excuses . . .

[Alfred Forns]

Hi Wendell .. in those situations is best to go to manual so the bg will not influence your exposure once its set ..the situation is very close to flight and I know how fast they can scoot !!! :)