Gulls storm-troopers

[Nikolay Staykov - shotlandetsa]

This is another image of the gulls-after-scoot sequence (http://www.birdphotographers.net/forums/showthread.php?p=40219#post40219) taken at Kerkini lake, Greece.

Though the light conditions were steady, I prefered to shoot at AV mode to avoid accidental burn outs of the white wings of the gulls with the manual mode. Yet I was able to keep nice 1/2000sec to fix the water splashes. The other data goes f7.1, ISO 400, canon 40D + 300mm f/4 and weak contrast on the standart camera profile.

PP: multiple clone outs of bubbles in the BG, which look like a huge dust spots; repaired wing, levels, S/H and USM.


Larger 1024 px image is available here > (http://www.all4mypics.com/albums/userpics/10001/liska1024_5570-1.jpg)

[Alfred Forns]

I find these type images so difficult to make them work Even a little This I like You managed some good head angles got a couple with open beak and the coot is really motoring !!!!


Would remove the spots in between the two gulls and wish you could lighten the coot's head just a tad I know you need ideal conditions for any detail !!! For presentation would add some canvas at the bottom and a tad at the top !!!

[Manos Papadomanolakis]

I really like the action,nice work Nikolay!!!

[Axel Hildebrandt]

I really like the interaction and brave little coot. I agree on removing the spots between the gulls on the right.

[David Chauvin]

Great job of getting all the players in the plane of focus! A little canvas added to the bottom (if you're agreeable to doing such a thing) would balance this out nicely.

[Arthur Morris]

Fantastic job on the three gulls but the coot is not as spectacular as in the first one that you posted. And yes to a bit of canvas at the top.

later and love, artie

[Travis Novitsky]

What a capture, Nikolay! I like the position of the birds in chase, and the coot certainly looks like he is trying with all his might to get away! It's too bad that the wing-tip on top is cut off, but that should be easy enough to fix.