Nazca Booby

[Bill Dix]

I found this one in my files from Galapagos, taken from a bouncing Zodiac off South Plaza Island in May 2010. It probably doesn't qualify for this month's theme, since I didn't go back and rework the RAW file; but I did rework the old TIFF before creating a new jpeg for posting. I'm guessing some might prefer that I crop out the whitewashed rock on the left, but since I had already cropped this 40%, and since I thought the rock helped balance the left hand side, I've left it in. C&C appreciated as always.

D90, 80-400 VR @ 400mm, ISO 400, 1/2500s @ f/7.1, -1.0 EV, HH from boat

[Nick Palmieri]

Nice simple and clean capture Bill. The brown and white in the bird are represented beautifully. I vote for losing the OOF rocks on the left. TFS

[Sid Garige]

Just a bit of better HA would have taken this image to next level Bill.

[wendell westfall]

Bill, I like as is.

[Robert Holguin]

Wonderful shot. Great control on the whites and well composed.
Well done.

[Mital Patel]

Oh bill,

you reminded me of my old setup d300 with 80-400. excellent capture. and you did really good with that slow shouter lens. i still miss the lens since i lost it year back.

[Daniel Cadieux]

Excellent composition, and I'm glad you kept the rock at left as I agree it balances things out very effectively. Super BG!! I agree a better HA would have put this over the top, but I'd still be happy with this. I see what looks like a faint catchlight on the eye (at the 1 o'clock position) that would look great enhanced for web or print...

[Sachin Saraf]

+1 for the rock on left...really nice capture and wonderful exposure...I also hate it when I have to crop the image too much but at times you can not get closer and you have no option but to crop as much as you can to show the details and at the same time make sure IQ holds...for 40% crop this one has pretty nice IQ

[James Salywoda]

Beautiful Shot!!! Excellent detail and a very nice composition.

[Bill Dix]

Thank you all for looking. I appreciate the comments.