Landing is Serious Business

[Axel Hildebrandt]

I photographed this Black Scoter at Barnegat Light. The water was very choppy and some of the birds made crash landings. :)

http://www.pbase.com/axelhi/image/120545937/original.jpg

1D3, 500f4, 1.4x, 1/1000s, f/8, EC -0.67, ISO 400

[Joe Brown]

Excellent capture of the action. Very good exposure with good detail in the blacks. Sharp focus on head and eye.

Joe

[Ryan Schain]

Nice image Axel! Excellent exposure, eye detail, composition, and action.

[Randy Stout]

Axel:

I particularly like the composition. The bird close to the left frame edge really strengthens the sense of him trying to stop before he crashes. Sharp and well exposed, with good detail in the blacks.

Randy

[Marina Scarr]

Your placement in the frame and the trail behind him really makes this story come alive. Great job on exposing the blacks.

[Stu Bowie]

I like the posture, as if he's pleased with himself that he landed safely in the choppy water. You did expose him nicely, and interested in your reasoning for placing him more to the left??? Still, well captured Axel.

[Axel Hildebrandt]

I like the posture, as if he's pleased with himself that he landed safely in the choppy water. You did expose him nicely, and interested in your reasoning for placing him more to the left??? Still, well captured Axel.

Thanks, Stuart! I wanted to include the trail behind the bird to show the speed and action.

[Stu Bowie]

Thanks Axel, I thought as much.