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Thread: One easy gull among the pleasant Ontario sands

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    Default One easy gull among the pleasant Ontario sands

    Well, here's a gull, a young one. Taken with the Canon 7D and 70-300L at 300mm. iso500, 1/320, f5.6. I was happily experimenting with all sorts of different shooting angles. Inspired by some of you low-goers, I even lay down in the fetid dropping-peppered sand. But this angle appealed more than the lowest: provided a nicer background and so forth. Anyhow! I like this shot. Will you? Why? Why not? Oh please do illuminate me! This is approximately 75% of the original capture. Hi, folks! No shorebirds here in Toronto, not by a long shot, and so I make do with these juvenile gulls. To me, they are vaguely similar. A lad can dream! Good night!
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    Lifetime Member Stu Bowie's Avatar
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    Hi Jack, good eye contact, and your angle works well. I like how the colours of the beach BG compliment the gull. I can see that the gull is posed on a slight slope, but I would try a version using a bit of CW rotation to have him standing 'straight up'.
    Last edited by Stu Bowie; 07-18-2012 at 01:46 AM.

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    Forum Participant christopher galeski's Avatar
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    Hi Jack,agre on the colors,and eye contact,bird looks like its had one too many

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    I'd straighten him up and add just a bit more contrast to him. The beak looks a little lost and I think that might help.

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    Hi folks, many thanks for writing in. I prefer the gull sloped as he is (hence the photograph!) but obviously I more than appreciate your opinions. Grace: good idea about the extra contrast, I'll give that a try.

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    Super Moderator Daniel Cadieux's Avatar
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    I like it. It does indeed need contrast (or, just deeper blacks as the brighter whites look OK). I would also have preferred the subject a bit higher in the frame. It's not the right ime of year for shorebirds...but keep an eye out as migration is soon to start with them!

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    Lifetime Member Marina Scarr's Avatar
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    Interesting subject here with quite a bit of character. First off, the crop isn't working for me, and I might be tempted to try a traditional vertical. While I understand your thoughts on wanting the bird as photographed, I have a tough time believing the bird was at this much of a slope and from looking at just the sand, it appears to need a slight bit of CW rotation which would probably still put him on a slope but less so. Agree on a little more contrast and/or SAT.
    Marina Scarr
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    If memory serves, I lowered the contrast a little bit...agree wholeheartedly to boosting it. The gull was doing a little wiggle dance and in fact he was slopey at this moment. Believe what you will, Marina, we all have our beliefs, that's for sure! As for a slight rotation, how could it hurt? Quite right! Daniel: the shorebirds will be back, it's true...I'll have to leave town but at least I won't have to go down to F-L-A.

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    Excellent folks, rotating the image won't "work for me" as they say, but I have applied some contrast. I prefer it this way...
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    Last edited by Jack Breakfast; 07-18-2012 at 11:50 AM.

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