Silver Gull - Portrait

[Mark Young]

I took this last week, about 90 mins before sunset. This bird was one of 3 that was feeding on the edge of the surf looking for food as the water receded.

Canon 7D
300f4+1.4tc
ISO320
1/2500
f/7.1
-0.7
Av mode

[Arthur Morris]

Beautiful bird, beautiful BKGR, loverly light, perfect head angle, and beautiful WHITEs. I like the SQ presentation but the tiny feather sticking up off the back bugs me and I could stand a bit more room in front of the bird. Do you have any more on the right?

IAC, this a s superb image.

[Randy Stout]

Mark:

Lovely gull, great bill and eye ring. Good BG.

The bill is very sharp, the eye might stand a bit more sharpening. It is pretty sharp, but sometimes the way the cornea reflects light reduces the apparent sharpness.

I wanted to see if I could tease a bit more detail out of the whites. They are not blown in the original, but are so white that i thought it was worth a try to bring out more texture.

Use quick selection tool and multiply/mask on body only, set at 35%.

Fairly subtle, but I liked it. You can easily adjust this effect to taste. I also did a quick pass on the eye(sharpening)

Just an option.

Cheers

Randy

PS: Arite was typing as I was working on the repost.

[Mark Young]

Thanks for viewing and commenting.

Arthur, I will try a repost when I get home tonight with more infront and feather removed.

Randy, I like the extra sharpening on the eye. Thanks for that. The extra detail is a nice touch too. Thanks for reposting.

[Mike Milicia]

Excellent portrait for all of the reasons stated above! Very nicely done!

I prefer the more brilliant whites in the original post which have plenty of detail to my eye.
I agree with wanting more room on the right but also think it could use a bit less at the the top.
Here's a repost that shows what I had in mind. See what you think.

Don't think the eye needs any more USM but I darkened the pupil which can make the eye appear to be sharper.

[Daniel Cadieux]

Nice portrait, Mark, and I like your handling of the whites. I also like the styled "hair" along the back of the head. Square comp works well with just enough grey shoulder visible, but I agree with a touch more room in front.

[DanWalters]

Nice portrait! Nice details in the gull and I like the color of the background.

[Stu Bowie]

Well exposed Mark, and I like Randy's repost.