Yellow eyed penguin

[Sidharth Kodikal]

I was lucky enough to have a close encounter with the "world's rarest penguin" in late 2009.
I shared one image from that evening, along with the story here (http://www.birdphotographers.net/forums/showthread.php/72850-Yellow-Eyed-Penguin).
Going through the files from that evening now, it is disheartening to see how many opportunities I blew. This was a very new hobby back then.
At any rate, it's fun going through old files, re-living the moment and second guessing oneself :)
I hope I'll do better if such an opportunity were to present itself again.

Canon 50D, 300 f2.8
1/250, f2.8, iso 400, -1/3ev, HH, FF

All comment appreciated.

[dankearl]

Sidharth, while technically not the best I have seen from you, the subject is the best and reading your story, even more so.
Beautiful bird, thanks for posting this, photos like this are why I began looking at this site. I am more a "birder" than a photographer,
and really appreciate seeing photos like this.

[Bill Dix]

Congrats on getting this species, Sitharth. Well done under the tough low light conditions. I got a glimpse of one of these fellows in NZ a few years ago, and would have been delighted to capture an image like this.

[Sachin Saraf]

I can see what you mean when you say:
"it is disheartening to see how many opportunities I blew. This was a very new hobby back then."

This a beautiful bird and I hope they survive the challenge...Thanks for sharing this...

[Dumay de Boulle]

Great looking bird. I would have maybe tried overexposing by a 1/3rd or 2/3rds to brighten up the image as I feel its slightly underexposed. Then up ISO to maintain shutter speed...Great sighting and good on you for getting the image!

[Stu Bowie]

Hey Sid, I disagree with Dumay regarding wanting to over-expose. I feel your -EC has worked well. A while back, I was shooting penquins in Cape Town and used a +EC to expose the blacks, and totally blew the whites on most of them. I was also 1450km from home, so I couldnt go back and try again. I do like the pose and detail, and the hint of grasses in the BG. I feel a touch of contrast will boost this, and your ss has let you down. I know the feeling. :w3

[arash_hazeghi]

very cool image Sid, like the pose! it looks a tad dark on my monitor

[Sidharth Kodikal]

Thank you all a lot for the comments. We're going back to NZ in 2013 and hope to do better if opportunities like this come up :)