Tern encounter

Hey all, my first post here and I'm nervous (and excited) to be around the level of experience that is present here.

I started off digiscoping with a Nikon ED82 Fieldscope and Coolpix P5100 before realizing that what I really wanted was a big lens and DSLR.


http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3090/...46311876_o.jpg

This shot is from December, during our trip to photograph birds in Thailand.

Location is Bangpu, near Bangkok.
Great location for gulls and terns.
We were on a pier next to a long line of posts that created a fence of sorts, perhaps to hold back big waves from the shoreline and mangroves.
The posts behind are still there in the BG, barely.
On each post was a gull or tern and sometimes two.

D300, Nikkor 500mm f4 AFS-I + 1.7x (850mm), cable remote release, ISO 200, 1/1250 exposure, -1 EV, A priority.

Thanks for looking, C&C welcome.
Hope to be able to contribute to this great place.
Ok, off to read my new (signed) copy of Art of Birds now :)

Paul Kusmin, North Vancouver, BC Canada

Welcome to BPN, Paul! Very nice first post. I like the interaction and captured moment. The BG looks good, too. Too bad you clipped the wing of the flying bird, made you probably wish you had no TC attached or did you crop it this way? Keep them coming!

Thanks Axel, it would have been great to get it all in frame (and I might have been able to get it all, even with Tele) but I was set up for the sitting bird and was caught off guard by the action : )

Big welcome, Paul. Excellent first post. Agree with Axel re the clipped wings but fantastic interaction and BG. I would be tempted to crop a bit off the bottom to reduce the impact of the perch which isn't that photogenic but is typical of the habitat.