Ring-billed Gull hovering

[Craig Markham]

Cattaraugus Creek jetty, Lake Erie, near Silver Creek, NY
09/26/07 10:30:04
Canon EOS-1D Mark III
100-400mm @ 400.0 mm
1/640Sec, f/9.0, Spot Metered, ISO 800, Hand-held

This bird was at the hairy edge of my resolution and I overexposed the whites (sensor was on the sky). However, the pose, mask-like demeanor of the face, and even the graphic-like reduction of detail in the blown-out back and wing margins keep bringing me back for another look. It's cropped to only 5% of the original 3888 x 2592, and I optimized brightness and contrast as much as possible. I did not sharpen because it created undesirable granularity at this low resolution.

[Alfred Forns]

Hi Craig It is a strange pose for the bird !!!

In a situation like this set up a little different and will naile the first image !!! Would not recommend spot metering for this or any other You can meter (on multi) on the sky and open one stop. For white birds would have to compensate a bit down Should get you very close. Take the first gull that comes by and check histogram, Keep that exposure. Manual is probably the best way to go.

You did well getting as much as you did The tail has no detail and not much chance to bring it back. I'm sure you will get another shot at this same pose Those birds tend to cooperate !!!