Stealth Gannet

[Bill Dix]

One more from a pelagic trip in March. This doesn't show the typical graceful look of the Northern Gannet soaring with wings fully outstretched ( I have some of those too); but to me the wing position here somehow reinforced the slightly sinister visage of the bird. C&C appreciated.

D7000 | 80-400 VR @ 280mm | ISO 250 | 1/5000s @ f/6.3 | -1.0 EV | HH

[Norm Dulak]

Very nice Bill.

You are right about the bird's sinister visage, which you have indeed captured here. Your image is sharp, and you've handled the wide tonal range very well. And the sky has a beautiful color to set off the bird.

I you can tolerate a bit of nit picking, I'd probably crop off a bit of space below the bird, and add some canvas above and to the left of the image. But it's really fine as it is.

Finally, it's good to see your use of the D7000 and that remarkable 80-400mm VR lens.

Norm

[Katie Rupp]

Sinister it is! Nice details and good exposure work.

[Hendri Venter]

Beautiful Jim. Very nice wing position and exposure. The blue BG works nicely here. I tend to agree with a more pano crop.:2

[Stu Bowie]

Well exposed Bill, and Ive enjoyed the colours and detail on these guys heads. Comp wise, I would take a bit off the top, and some off the bottom too.

[Bill Dix]

Thank you Norm, Katie, Hendri and Stuart. I usually start with a 3:2 format by default, and then alter it as necessary. Before I posted this, something inside me whispered that it needed pano, but I ignored it. Here's a pano repost, taking a bit off the top, more off the bottom, and adding a bit on the left (maybe more than needed?). Thanks for the suggestion.