I Can Fly

[Cheryl Arena Molennor]

Caught this fledgling skimmer the other day while shooting with friends. He was the biggest of the bunch yet seen. I was pretty excited to get this one in flight especially the way he almost seems to be looking at me. Removed a partial wingtip from the adult flying with him.
Canon 1DMIII
300 mm 2.8L lens
ISO 400 7.1 @1/2500 HH
C&C always welcome

[Mike Milicia]

Great wing position, unusual perspective, and agree about the perfect eye contact!
Techs look great as well ... very nicely done!

[Michael Bertelsen]

Very nice Cheryl,
Fantastic angle, great in every way.

Michael Bertelsen

[Ofer Levy]

Excellent!! If anything maybe a bit tight in the frame as presented especially right and bottom.

[Cheryl Arena Molennor]

Excellent!! If anything maybe a bit tight in the frame as presented especially right and bottom.
Thanks Ofer and i somewhat agree about it being tight but i caught it so centered that I cut closer to the right to leave the flying space and cut the bottom cause I liked the moving wave up top. I need to learn to pan without centering the subject. I am curious do you pan flyers using a focus dot selected more to the right rather than center dot to allow that flying space? thanks

[Jim Crosswell]

Great flight image Cheryl. I like the sharpness, details and eye contact.

[arash_hazeghi]

great wing position and nice details, good exposure on whites and blacks too just wish a bit separation between subject and BG. it's a cute bird!

[Marina Scarr]

You did a great job getting this fledgling in flight, Cheryl, and I love the way he is looking right at you at a nice angle with his wings outstretched. I just love the colors of these young BLSK in flight.

I do feel the wave in the BG is somewhat distracting. I would remove the highlight at the end of the bird's right wing. I tried cropping the wave out and, although it's tight, I like it.

You ought to be proud of this one!

[Karl Egressy]

Great forward wing position and excellent eye contact. A beauty flight shot.

[Brendan Dozier]

Very nice, Cheryl. Like the unusual, low angle perspective, gliding so low across the water really adds interest. Great eye contact, nice exposure and details. Agree maybe just a tad tight on rt, but very nicely done!

[Cheryl Arena Molennor]

Ok I went back and left more on the bottom and cut off the wave on top. Took away the highlite by the wing. Better? I'm not sure I want to give up the wave movement. :w3 I need to look em over some although I do like the attention it leaves on the bird now.Thanks all for the suggestions.

[David Pugsley]

Hi Cheryl! I personally prefer the re-post without the wave.
BTW, when did you pick-up the MKIII? Feel free to email or PM me if you ever want to get together for some shooting!

[Troy Lim]

Repost is a killer shot!

[Sidharth Kodikal]

Very well done. Repost is the clear winner imo. Nice pose, sharpness and exposure.

[Stu Bowie]

Cheryl, good flying posture, especially with the forward wing position. Good detail throughout, sharp, and I like the clarity of the water. Well captured.

[gail bisson]

Repost is the winner! I really like the "from above "perspective. Nice and sharp.
I too would like to know if our expert flight photogs use the center or off center AF point for flight shots! I have recently switched to AF off center .
Gail

[Chris Martinez]

This really has a three dimensional quality about it.
I prefer the repost. I feel the wave was cramping the the skimmer's style so to speak.

[Cheryl Arena Molennor]

Looks like my wave is losing it's popularity. Darn. Funny how people like different things as I posted on another sight and got alot of positive about the action of the wave. I like how it adds to the story of the flight but i do like it without it as well. A whole new feel. Thanks for the great words.

[Cheryl Arena Molennor]

Hi Cheryl! I personally prefer the re-post without the wave.
BTW, when did you pick-up the MKIII? Feel free to email or PM me if you ever want to get together for some shooting!
Hey David,
Got the mIII about 5 mths ago and absolutely love it. I'd love to shoot sometime. I'll send an email.:bg3:

[Daniel Cadieux]

Yep, losing the wave was not a big deal...the reason being is that the shallow water and shadow at bottom is just as interesting, if not more! As for panning...for me I just use center point and focus on the eye then crop for comp in post as I don't want to start fiddling with which point to use for each bird flying in front of me (plus you risk clipping a tail by using a right point). Sometimes you get "unlucky" with a close subject that limits your cropping choices, but that part of the compromises of bird photography!:S3:

[Ofer Levy]

Hi Cheryl,
Thought its a pity to get rid of the wave so created some canvas - I see no ethical issue with this...:w3 WDYT?

[Ofer Levy]

As to your question when I take flight shots I use the centre point/s only. I am sure more talented BIF photographers can do it in a more sophisticated way...:e3

[Cheryl Arena Molennor]

Thanks Daniel and great PS work Ofer. I like it alot, Thank you . Im gonna go back once more and give it a shot cause I do still like my wave although I like it just as well without it. As I said it gives it a whole new feel..:S3:
I will stick with my center dot too . It's just less complicated.

[Kaustubh Deshpande]

Cheryl, very unique shot. loved the top-side view and the details. terrific eye contact of course.

[christopher galeski]

very nice cheryl,like the repost,thanks.

[Nico Steenberg]

Nice angle and in flight pose. Sharp with good exposure :S3: