alone

I'm slowly making my way through the 10,000 images I recently made in Antarctica, and offer this one up for comment. Lately I seem to be drawn to these slightly "out of the box" images. A Chinstrap Penguin in a snowfield at Half Moon Island.

I lightly cropped, ran Levels (Auto worked well), and sharpened.

Canon EOS 50D, 400/5.6
capture date: 21 November 2009
exposure program: Manual
ISO speed: 400
shutter speed: 1/500
aperture: f6.3
exposure bias: +0.0
metering: Pattern
flash: OFF

I like it. The wide crop, high-key, pose and composition work really well. I might crop a bit off the top. Maybe something like this? I also toned down the highlights, they were partially overexposed.

This is very good, John. I like the way you have composed this with plenty of space around the bird. Wondering about a little more detail in the snow but am on a crummy monitor at work so it may actually be there and I just can't see it. Title is very appropriate.

I really love this shot, John. There are some stark environments out there and you've done well to capture one in context with a beautiful critter. Axel's repost is much more gentle on the eyes and brings the image home.

John:

A strong and classic composition, with small in the image subject placed with the rule of thirds.

I like the bird in the original, and snow between the two. I haven't been there, but suspect the snow is almost overpowering and featureless in some lighting.

Look forward to more. I suspect that penguins work esp. well in this type of composition, because they are so simple from a graphic standpoint (B&W)

Cheers

Randy

Cute bird and nice environment, challanging exposure. Whites just a bit hot in the original repost is a bit better. TFS

Very, very good job in this one John. I love the composition but I agree with Axel croping just a bit on the top. Light is fantastic and the textures of snow are really subtle but nice. Can wait to see more images from that trip :)

Hi john,

A gorgeous shot here! Love the idea and apart from the crop you did very well here. If this were mine I would crop a bit of the right and top. Lovely exposure on the little guy and like the straigt look very much.

John; I remember this place, beautiful Half Moon, lots of Chinstraps!!!
Image is great; I love it, excellent composition; gives the sense of being right there.
Axel has a point, I see it a little bit overexposed.

Saludos desde Chile, Rodrigo:D

John....one of the better images I have seen. Beautifully composed. Very artsy....will look great on a wall. Classic bird-in-habitat. Very well done.

Love the light and the pose but would like to have seen you point the lens a bit more to the left putting the bird even more into the corner.

Thanks for all the great comments. I think the image had the desired effect! I like Axel's repost and it really shows the colour difference between the snow (grey) and the Chinstrap (yellowish). I'll play around with a recrop.