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Thread: Welcome to my world

  1. #1
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    Default Welcome to my world

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    The bulk of shorebirds have left for warmer climes but beaches in my home area still produce these gems of the bird world. Today it was 4.5°C in the early morning and this juvenile Semipalmated Sandpiper was huddled between large cobbles on the beach at Johnson's Mills. When you get low, their feet are invisible but personally I am fine with that. This was the first field test for me of my new Canon 500/4II and I have to say I like it! This was in early morning light before the sun had come up to light the birds.

    Not much done except a slight crop (I was close and they were unconcerned) and the standard down-sample and sharpen for BPN.

    Date: 25 September, 2012, Time: 0810h
    Camera: Canon EOS-1D Mark IV
    Lens: EF500mm f/4L IS II USM +1.4x, @ 700 mm
    Program: Manual
    ISO 800, 1/200s, f/7.1
    Flash: off

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    Very nice, John. The tack sharp bird jumps out at the viewer, surrounded as is is by soft elements that frame the bird. And the head angle and eye contact are great.

    I'd say your new equipment has passed its first test with flying colors.

    Norm

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    Avian Moderator Randy Stout's Avatar
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    John:

    I like the varied shapes and hues of the rocks. The soft light, feather details and catch light.

    The sheltering pose goes well with your story.

    I might very slightly darken the foreground rock, plus might do a sliver of a crop off the bottom as well. Personal taste, really.

    Cheers

    Randy
    MY BPN ALBUMS

    "Tact is the art of making a point without making an enemy" Sir Isaac Newton

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    Hi John - that's a great shot. Yep, the bird's feet aren't visible, but that can add to the sheltering effect. Love the shapes of the rocks which echo those of the bird. I tend to agree w/ Randy's comment about darkening the foreground rock and taking a sliver off the bottom. Frame it. gt

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    Sweet image, John. Love the background rocks. Good ideas given above. Good luck with the new lens, I look forward to more.

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    Great setting! The bird is tucked away nicely in between those rocks,
    and it's squat posture mirrors the form of the rocks beautifully.
    Excellent eye level image.

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    Great shot, John. Good shooting with your new lens. One day I might replace my heavy 500 with the lighter new one.

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    I like this image. You got in close, and you got low on a very rocky shore on a cold morning--no easy task. But I think you could tell the story of the "plover among the rocks" and still show us a bit more of the bird. The long rock in the FG is not so much telling the story of the plover among the rocks as it is barring us from seeing more of the bird.

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    Super Moderator Daniel Cadieux's Avatar
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    I like the concept of the image and I am OK with the feet not showing in this case. I do wish the FG rock was softer, not as defined. I love the BG ones. I am certain you left the WB as is deliberatley, but have you experimented with a warmer version too?

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    Very nice shot. Great head angle, excellent details, and nice shooting angle.
    Well done.

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    Lifetime Member gail bisson's Avatar
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    Hi John,
    I am the odd woman out as I would prefer to see a bit more of the bird. To fool the eye into thinking that I can see more of him I would crop from the bottom and the right a bit.
    I really like the BG rocks and the IQ is awesome.
    Gail

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    Thanks everyone for the great suggestions. Gail and others- I agree the rock at the bottom is not ideal. A crop may work there. Daniel- the image does look cold. I just took what ACR gave me. It was early morning before the sun had come up. I will play with white balance.

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