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View Full Version : Black Bellied Plover? at first light.


Bob Blanchard
02-23-2008, 06:20 PM
Captured this morning on Sanibel near the fishing pier. I am woeful at identifying shore birds, but this one appears to be a female Black Bellied Plover in Winter plumage to me. I was using a BLUBB in a Frisbee as a groundpod. Image is untouched except for crop.

Canon 1DsMII, ef 300mm f/4, f/4, 1/160, ISO 100.
http://CatcherofLight.smugmug.com/photos/257917385_FjmWC-X3.jpg
Axel Hildebrandt
02-23-2008, 08:12 PM
Nice angle, pose and use of DOF. I might try to get rid of the dark areas at the top.
Jim Poor
02-23-2008, 08:12 PM
Did you use bi cubic sharper when resizing? The reason I ask is that there is halo around the bill.

Nice light on this one and I like the shell in front. Wish the BG transition area didn't pass through the neck.
Bob Blanchard
02-23-2008, 08:23 PM
Did you use bi cubic sharper when resizing? The reason I ask is that there is halo around the bill.

Nice light on this one and I like the shell in front. Wish the BG transition area didn't pass through the neck.

Good eye Jim. Yes, I did resize with Bicubic Sharper, and it did add a halo on the resize. Original is fine, though.

Axel - I think I will clone out the dark spots. They are actually the pilings for the fishing pier in the background.
Arthur Morris
02-23-2008, 10:00 PM
Hey Bob, This is indeed a Black-bellied Plover, I believe a first winter, that is a hatch-year bird that has molted most of it feather tracts except for some of the coverts... You cannot sex them unless they are in breeding plumage when the female is duller. The image looks overall dark to me but the COMP is perfect. I love the open shell forward of the bird but not the oof one just below and to the right of the bird's left foot. Later and love, artie
Bob Ettinger
02-24-2008, 10:21 AM
Nice low angle and good use of DOF but as Artie pointed out, looks a little dark on my monitor
Blake Shadle
02-24-2008, 01:45 PM
Hi Bob, good work on this one. Your angle is very nice and you composed the image well. I agree with the other suggestions on cloning, and darkness.
Bob Blanchard
02-24-2008, 09:22 PM
Here's a "fixed version with the suggestions made by all:

http://CatcherofLight.smugmug.com/photos/258446734_P7KdA-X3.jpg

I definitely like it better.
Arthur Morris
02-25-2008, 05:08 PM
It is better. The last step would be to work in the larger white oof shell in front of the left foot, and, I just noticed, the one on that toe too.

later and love, artie
Bob Blanchard
02-26-2008, 07:44 PM
Thanks Artie - Here it is with your last suggestions:
http://CatcherofLight.smugmug.com/photos/258913330_Yc64o-X3.jpg