Royal Tern

[Blake Shadle]

This is another image from last Saturday at Ft. Desoto, North Beach while out with Philip Pietri, Chad Anderson and Drew Wilson. Like one of my White Ibis images, I had this one slated for Out of the Box, but decided to give good old Avian, wild and free a go at it ;) I had this Royal Tern very tight in the frame when he pulled his head back a little and yawned like there was no tomorrow. I cropped a tiny bit off the right, left, and bottom. The cut (cut don't clip) bill works for me. What do you think?

Shooting Solution
Camera: Nikon D200
Lens: Sigma 500 f/4.5
Manual exposure, 1/2500 @ f/8, ISO 400
Manual focus, 95% of full frame
Lens mounted directly to the Shadle Slider

Thanks for looking!

Comments welcome and much appreciated :)

[Ed Prete]

I'd almost like to see this as a vertical with both parts of the bill cut, as opposed to only one. Excellent detail. Perhaps the tail of the eye is minimally soft, but it works for me. Any extension tubes used for this?

[Arthur Morris]

I'd like to see it as a pano with most of the neck gone... Later and love, artie

[Marko Matesic]

Definitely unusual composition and that is reason why I like it :)...

[Philip Pietri]

Bahlf. Destroyer of the box.
The detail is incredible. The composition is interesting. Rules? Eh. Whatever. It's a great image. That's all there is to it.

[Steve Maxson]

I like most everything about this one, Blake, but maybe I'm stuck too far in the box - I need to see the rest of the beak. (Evidently a minority opinion) :)

[Maxis Gamez]

Lovely details and exposure Blake. I agree with Artie on this one.

[Steve Wheeler]

FWIW the Steve's are together on this one. Detail is of course increadble, but the missing part of the bill???? It would be WAY over the top had it been complete.

Steve