The Black Tern is uncommon enough in New Jersey that it's mentioned on the birder's hotline whenever one shows up. For the past month, a few individuals have been hanging out in the Common Tern flock at the tip of Sandy Hook. Their smaller size and dark overall appearance in flight make them easy to distinguish. On this image, I had thought I would crop out the beach, but decided that it added some context to the shot. What do you think?
D7000, 500f4 + 1.4 TC, ISO 640, 1/2000s @ f/7.1 manual, gitzo and mongoose
Great image sir. You achieved a real nice catchlight too, which can be difficult with terns.
I think you made the correct call in regards to the beach. Love the strong diagonal line
created by the wings.
I lean towards cropping out the beach, mainly because that line of shells really catch my eye and compete with the tern. For me the water bkgd is adequate context. Those outstretched wings with the slight upturned edges really capture the gracefulness of terns.
Another vote for keeping the beach, both for sense of setting and for adding to the interest of the different lines and angles. Neat to see a black tern at the beach, I've only ever seen them before at a swamp at a refuge not far from where I live. I really like your comp. Wish the bill did not merge with the wing, but otherwise love the pose. Nice soft light.
I think you'll get a close to 50/50 split on the beach removal!! My first thought was to crop it out too, but now I'm leaning on keeping it...you could say I am 50/50 on it too I like this plumage alot, up here I only see them when they are actually black, or in mid-molt giving them an odd appearance on the face...and never close enough for proper images. Love the head-on pose. Sharp as posted, and well exposed. Love the tail flare.
I am torn about the beach too. It feels like an overhang wall to me more than a beach so that's what I don't like about it. I think I would vote to keep it though because I like the breaking wave at the bottom of the frame as well.
Bill. I was wrestling with the beach until I did an on-screen crop with and without. IMO, cropping just above the sand-line strengthens this image considerably. I love the bird position and the wave in the BG.
Thank you all; now I'm totally torn. I think I'm leaning toward Nancy's point, that the waves give it enough context, and Cheryl's, that the beach doesn't look too much like a beach anyway. I've got a few more frames of him with good wing positions and no beach, so I'll try to work one of them up (although I'm not sure they're as sharp). I'm off to Maine for a week, so no time right now, but when I get back......
Love the fully spread wings and the sharpness. The wave breaking right through the middle of the bird bugs me more than the beach. Running a 20-40 pixel Gaussian blur on the beach might bring more fans :).
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But seriously though, I think Arthur's suggestion might be a good compromise to let you keep the beach but making it less intrusive... I like it either way..
IDK Bill, I like having the sand there. I guess you could try both and see which one you like best. I would consider burning the whites of the waves a bit - or painting with a feathered brush at 8-10% opacity with a darker color from the water. Just ideas