Juvenile Gull playing THE ROCK GAME [Archive] - BirdPhotographers.net

Jack Breakfast

03-06-2012, 01:48 PM

A classic scene from the world of birds...the rock game! I'm sure you've seen it before: ring-billed and herrings picking up stones from the water, taking flight, dropping the stone and catching it in midair. Although I seem to disagree with many folks RE composition and head angle and square formats, I think this forum is EXCELLENT and I respect your opinions very much. I would love to hear your C &C on this particular shot, which was taken with the Canon 7D and 200mm f2.8, iso400, 1/1600, f5.6. Post-processing: a crop, levels tweak and some vignetting. Much less vignetting than it looks like though...the sky was patchy blues and whites, very nice. Many thanks for your consideration...spring will come soon...
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Kaustubh Deshpande

03-06-2012, 02:42 PM

Jack, very interesting behavior. I find the BG interesting as well. nice focus and DOF on the bird. I dont know how much spcae you have in the orig, but vertical might look better. I am fine with this framing as well.

Don Nelson

03-06-2012, 03:26 PM

nice behavioral image
Agree with Kaustubh on vertical format -- and I'd get rid of the smudge across the bottom
Good to see this one.

Alan Murphy

03-06-2012, 04:18 PM

Great timing on this one. The stone is the perfect distance to show this behavior.

Arthur Morris

03-06-2012, 04:34 PM

Love the high key look and the blue cloud. The cloud is so strong that I would be reluctant to lose any of it. Thus the somewhat out of the box crop for my repost. In an ideal world we would have the same lovely view of the dorsal surface of the near-wing as we do of the far wing.

Arthur Morris

03-06-2012, 04:39 PM

ps: first winter Ring-billed Gull.

gail bisson

03-06-2012, 06:50 PM

Jack,
This is terrific. The BG really brings this image to a top notch level. The IQ on the gull is excellent. In a perfect world the near wing would be fully extended but that it a minor nit. Artie's crop gets rid of the smudge line in the sky very nicely.
Gail

Jack Breakfast

03-06-2012, 07:00 PM

Bless the hearts of all you fine birdmachines! My mind opens, and I grow and fonder still of A. Morris's repost.
PS Obsessive bird photographers, myself included, nota bene: if this world were perfect we would lose our aspirations and hopes and wishes! Heaven forfend!

Frank Schauf

03-07-2012, 02:34 AM

Really nice flight shot and great details.

Jack Breakfast

03-07-2012, 04:11 AM

The more I look, the more I love that repost. Many thanks, Arthur. Thanks to all for your friendly comments too, they are more than appreciated...

ramesh anantharaman

03-07-2012, 06:52 AM

This is terrific. wht catches my eye is the way the clouds frame the subject. superb timing and action.

Cheryl Arena Molennor

03-08-2012, 11:15 AM

I have witnessed this behavior and it is very cool. I like the blue in the sky and glad it is behind the gull. Your detail is great and I like the topside view.