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Thread: Skimmer Landing with Fish, Nickerson

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    Default Skimmer Landing with Fish, Nickerson

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    Canon 1D4
    500mm +1.4x
    Handheld

    1/2500
    f/5.6
    ISO 800

    Taken near sunset in mid August at Nickerson during one of my couple visits there one weekend. The grasses in front were problematic for shooting very low, and I didn't want to be tethered to the tripod or skimmer, so I handheld, kneeling down. Found an area with a few chicks in the eastern colony, thanks to the direction of Richard Ettlinger whom I met that evening and shot alongside (I had come to know his work a couple years ago through his book On Feathered Wings: Birds in Flight). Got this parent coming in with a fish.
    I like the way the skimmer is framed by the grasses, the bird's shadow, the hint of the fence in back, and the view of the prey. I did need to do some whites recovery, and I desaturated the legs and beak a bit. Please tell me if there's a color cast, I seem to struggle with that a bit.
    Thanks for looking and for any comments/critiques.
    Last edited by Melissa Groo; 09-12-2012 at 09:47 AM.

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    BPN Member Bill Dix's Avatar
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    Nice one, Melissa. Good job acquiring focus against the grasses, which add immeasurably to the image. Great light, wing position; fish and dangling legs a bonus.

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    There is much to enjoy here. Love the habitat included. Great light quality.
    Technical aspects are rock solid. I might try and further blur that fenceline in
    the upper part of the frame, but based on your post, it sounds like you
    appreciate that element....

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    This is very lovely. Great light & details on the skimmer with the bkgd slipping into a soft blur of greens and tans. The tan on the top of the image imitates and balances the tan of the beach in the foreground, including the pale vertical lines in both, creating a subtle & very effective framing of the skimmer. You captured a wonderful landing pose with outstretched wings and great head angle, and nature really helped out with those brilliant feet and bill.

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    Perfect head angle, catch and outspread wings Melissa. I also enjoy the movement of the grass, detail and sharpness. Awesome shot.

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    Super Moderator Daniel Cadieux's Avatar
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    This is fantastic Melissa...one of my favorites of yours! Excellent wing positions, low enough angle, habitat, colours (no cast that I can see). The fish in the bill is just icing on the cake! I'm wishing the faint fence lines at top were not there, but I like Nancy's reasoning to like them, plus you do like them too. Very, very appealing image.

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    I really like the light here Melissa and the grasses add to the image. I am not a fan of fences in my images but at least it is pretty oof ansd subtle. I wonder if you cropped the top just below the blue area? It kinda hides more of the fence and leaves just enough room for the top wing to move IMO

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    Excellent image Melissa! I like the low angle, setting, sharpness, exposure and catch.

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    Lovley light and underwind detail. Fish, with the head showing, is great as well as the head forward landing pose - I quite like the forground OOF grass as it frames the image.

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    Ditto the pluses above. Wonderful. My two favorite parts are the hint of the snow fence and the bird's shadow on the sand. Strange that we did not run into each other.
    BIRDS AS ART Blog: great info and lessons, lots of images with our legendary BAA educational Captions; we will not sell you junk. 30+ years of long lens experience/e-mail with gear questions.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Arthur Morris View Post
    Ditto the pluses above. Wonderful. My two favorite parts are the hint of the snow fence and the bird's shadow on the sand. Strange that we did not run into each other.
    I know. It would have been nice to meet you, Artie. I missed you guys by about 2 days. Shot on a Sunday eve/Mon morn, and then your IPT started a couple days later I think. Wish I could have lingered but had to get back to upstate NY, was just visiting family in CT for the weekend.
    Thanks to all for the comments.

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    Publisher Arthur Morris's Avatar
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    Ah, we were doing sunflowers then. And yes, it would have been nice to meet you too.
    BIRDS AS ART Blog: great info and lessons, lots of images with our legendary BAA educational Captions; we will not sell you junk. 30+ years of long lens experience/e-mail with gear questions.

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    Amazing moment capture, love the position of the bird.
    Do you have more room on the bottom? Would love to see this with a little cropped on the left and a little more on the bottom.

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    Lifetime Member Marina Scarr's Avatar
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    Love the feel and story of this one. Great comp, exposure and pose. The fence, catch and grasses are big pluses.
    Marina Scarr
    Florida Master Naturalist
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    nice one,good pose,like the grasses in the BG,fish in the bill adds,well done.

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    Publisher Arthur Morris's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Troy Lim View Post
    Do you have more room on the bottom? Would love to see this with a little cropped on the left and a little more on the bottom.
    Agree on having the bird just a bit more back in the frame but the bottom is perfect for me.
    BIRDS AS ART Blog: great info and lessons, lots of images with our legendary BAA educational Captions; we will not sell you junk. 30+ years of long lens experience/e-mail with gear questions.

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    Mellisa, this is awesome. the grass blades is what makes it so special, IMO. your shooting angle is fine. It does look a bit warm but I personally prefer things that way. terrific eye contact and wings. well timed for sure. agree with Artie that a bitt off from the back would make it better.

    liked the shadow as well.

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