Show off

[John Chardine]

This guy does look like he's showing off to the two in the BG!

I had loaned my flash and the harsh light on these Northern Gannets at Bonaventure Island, Quebec, was difficult to deal with. I dodged the shadows under the neck of the FG bird to lighten. Also flattened the harsh light a little with a reverse S-curve on the Luminance channel of the LAB colour space. Could have used Shadows and Highlights I suppose. Cropped off the sides but not top or bottom.

To get the composition, I waited for the FG bird to move just to the right position. But does it work? Look forward to your opinions!

Date: 17 July, 2010, Time: 13:06h
Model: Canon EOS-1D Mark IV
Lens: EF500mm f/4L IS USM +1.4x @ 700 mm
Program: Manual
ISO 400, 1/1600s, f/8
Exp. comp.: 0.0
Flash: no flash

[gary ellwein]

John this is a keeper. Forground subject is well exposed and sharp. Particularly like the framing by the oof bg subjects. Oof background subjects must be in vogue.

Well done, Gary

[gary ellwein]

Did you set out to acquire this framed image ?

Gary

[John Chardine]

Thanks Gary, and yes, I did plan this image at least in the very short term. I was sitting down on the grass in front of the colony scanning for action. I had my eye on the OOF pair because the BG was so nice. I saw the OOF pair start to sky-point so got ready and then I noticed the front bird moving across the frame from left to right skypointing as well. So I refocussed on the front bird and made several images as the bird moved across the frame. I was just lucky that to OOF pair had pleasing postures in relation to each other.

[Julie Kenward]

John, what a lovely and original composition. I think the only thing that would have made this even stronger would be if you had managed a small slice of green between the FG subject and the two OOF subjects on both sides - but that's really a minor point. Love the look of this!

[Andrew Merwin]

John,
I really like the central northern gannet. The eyes are arresting & I like the bit of feather on the beak. Also, it is sharp & well exposed. That said, I will probably be your only dissenter re. the blurred birds in the BG. IMHO, I experience them as overwhelming the image. I have trouble taking my eyes off them & seeing the focused bird. I keep thinking there is something wrong with my eyes when I look at this image.

[Peter Farrell]

The FG bird is fantastic, I love those eyes. I somewhat agree with Andrew on the oof BG birds being a little too distracting. Maybe if they were a little more in focus. I also like the green and blue in the BG.
Peter

[Rachel Hollander]

John - I too like the in focus gannet but tend to agree with Andrew and Peter that my attention is drawn to the oof birds. Maybe it is because they are brighter. Perhaps darkening the oof birds and bg would improve the image?

TFS,
Rachel

[John Chardine]

Thanks for the comments so far, and they are along the lines I was thinking. Perhaps darkening the BG birds would work and also maybe a bit of post-processing blur? I'll try it.

PS maybe I should have used f4 or f5.6 instead of f8!

[Mark Young]

Such a lovely and unique composition! Love the colours in the bg, which compliments the image well.