Guillemot or Murre

[Michael Hogan]

This was a stormy April last year. The sea birds had just arrived back on the cliffs and were busy doing what birds do in spring. The waves were crashing on the bottom of the cliffs and I was trying to get these guys with the spray in the background and them sharp. It was difficult and in the end I did not get what I was looking for. I came across this one and thought it worked. Bird fairly sharp, wings blurred giving motion and the BG giving out of focus spray.

Let me know if you agree or am I dreaming

Canon 40D, 500mm, 1/60 @ 4.0, ISO 200, AP, Pattern Metering, Exposure Biad -1.5EV

[Dan Brown]

This looks like a Murre to me. I don't know if it is a Common or Thick-billed, though?

[Dave Mills]

Hi Micheal, I don't think your dreaming. The bird gives the appearance of coming out of the din and the head is tack sharp. Not easy on that small of a bird.
One thing you should look at is the blown whites on the bird's side. Not sure if you could of prevented that due to the lighting angle and strength...

[Alfred Forns]

It is a Murre Michael !! Love the feel of this image !!! Killer detail on the shadows and might be able to recover the highlights !!

Would try a couple of things, worth it !!! You can go back to the raw image and do a linear conversion for the highlights then a regular then sandwich the two together !! A simple is just selecting the side by color, making a duplicate layer and multiplying in the blending modes !! Don't think the second will work?

In either case hang on to the original raw file, you have a good one !!!

[Harold Davis]

this is awesome! i love the feel of the bird emerging from the fog. agree with al, i'd work this one til i got those whites right on the bird. please dont throw this away!!!

[Declan Troy]

I think the subject was a statement rather than a question. In much of the world this bird would be called a Guillemot. In North America a Common Murre; well except in Newfoundland where many call them Turres.

I quite like the effect, perhaps a bit less wing blur but it works for me.

[Lance Peters]

hI - Great feel and mood - looks like he is trying to get to safety quick :)
Agree with AL'S suggestion to tame the white hotspots.
Like it!!

[Dave Leroy]

Very nice photo and I like nice mood created by the bg.

My only suggestion is to make a crop, either from the top or bottom to move bird down or up. I think a bit of pano moves bird from middle, adds a bit more movement and still retains mist and dark bg. If mine, I would probably take off off, because I like the dark bg where bird is coming from.

A really nice photo and good for you. I bet it was fun!:)

[christopher galeski]

great shot,nice BG,head sharp,whites a bit hot,but magic shot,wish it was mine.

[Michael Hogan]

Thanks for all the comments - Al I'll have a go at fixing the whites. I use Lightroom for most of my images and don't do that much in PS but it's about time I learned. Yes Dave it was a great morning. The cliffs are on the east coast of the mainland and because the wind was so stong easterly I had Gannets flying overhead as well. Will post some of them at a later date.

Thanks again all

Michael

[Thanaboon Jearkjirm]

I like how the head is sharp while the wing blurred, this show a great deal of motion. I also like the black and white background which create a stormy mood in which the bird is trying to get away from. You might be able to get more white details with RAW.