Heads-up Gannet

[Ben_Sadd]

I have not posted for a while, but I just managed to get a few gannet images on a weekend trip to the UK. I was trying hard to get clean backgrounds, which was not always so easy given that I was on the same cliff as the birds. If I was only interested in perched birds I would have dropped the ISO to 400, but I was also interested in capturing take-offs.

I have returned to my old method of using three rounds of USM on the subject after trying smart sharpen for a while and not getting satisfactory results.

Any C&C welcome.

7D
500mm f/4
Manual
1/800
f/6.3
ISO 800

[Randy Stout]

Ben:

I like the combination of the rocky cliff and distant surf. Nice pose with crop to allow room to look up into. Like the visible ribbing on the top of feet.

Sharpening looks OK to me in general. Might hit the eye again.

Glad you had a chance to get out.

Cheers

Randy

[Marina Scarr]

Nice environmental capture, and I like the behavior. I also like the prominent feet. Glad you were able to get out to photograph and to share with us.

[Jim Crosswell]

Nice image Ben. I like the setting, feet and clean BG.

[jack williamson]

This is a very nice gannet and perch. The bg is just right and the three rounds of usm look real good to me. Great composition.

Jack

[Ben_Sadd]

Thanks all for your comments. I hope I can get back to participating fully at bpn once again from now on.