Trumpeter Splashdown

[Randy Stout]

This trumpeter landed in front of me last weekend, just around sun set, so very soft light. I liked the framing of the head by the wing, sense of motion from the splash.

D300 600VR f/4 @ f/6.3 TC 1.4 1/250s ISO 640 Gitzo/Wimberley

Post: Selective sharpening cleaned up a few bits in BG, multiply selection on rear wing to bring out a bit more detail on top surface , slight crop up from bottom

Advice and comments always appreciated.

Cheers

Randy

[Gary Esman]

Hi Randy, your description is what I noticed first, the framing of the head. I am impressed with the 1/250. Very nice detail on the near wing.

Gary.

[Jim Crosswell]

I like the action and composition. Nice image Randy!

[Joel Eade]

Very nice exposure, you handled the whites so well, were you prepared for this shot? I am surprised as well that you were able to "freeze" the action so well at 1/250, very nice.

[Randy Stout]

Thanks guys:

I just went back to double check my exif data. When I viewed the data orignially , I must have had a later image selected in the browser, because I wrote down the wrong stuff! I would like to take credit for my remarkable panning tech., but can't!

Corrected data: D700 600mm VR f/6.3 1/1250s ISO 1000.

Sorry about that. I had been working on shots from later in the evening, and they all had very similar EXIF, so when I wrote down the original numbers above, didn't jump out at me.

Cheers

Randy

[Grace Scalzo]

Wow, I'm relieved to read your correction. Thought I was doing something really really wrong. :w3
This is a nice image, I like the cool tones. The light angle made the wings look translucent and very pretty.

[Dumay de Boulle]

Lovely detail in the whites and the textures of the water and the splash finish the image off nicely

[Pieter de Waal]

A lovely image Randy, love the wing positions and splash. Nice detail and texture in those whites.

[Craig Brelsford]

Man, Randy, whew! Looking at your 1/250, I felt like Josh Brolin in "No Country for Old Men," when he realizes it's the transponder: "Ain't no way." 1/1250 feels so natural. Another integrated shot from you, Randy. The system works. The dying light is kissing your whites gently. The swan is walking and chewing gum at the same time (i.e., splashing down while keeping his eye firmly on you).