Coming in for a Landing

[Grace Scalzo]

This time of the year, the skimmers congregate on the beach, getting ready to leave their nesting grounds. They fly over the group, look for an opening and pop down. I did a little work on the group...eliminated some bright spots and added a smidge of canvas up top. Cropped and sharpened.

1/3200, f 5.6, iso800
Canon 1dx, 600f4 + 1.4tc + rrs tripod

[Marina Scarr]

I really like what you were going for here, Grace. The light was stunning and your BLSK gave you a killer pose. I took the image into PS. I personally prefer this image with less on the bottom and left. I feel the OOF FG is a bit overpowering. With less of it, you still have a powerful image and story but without the distraction. Well seen and executed.

[Martin Dunn]

Grace, your skimmer is caught beautifully in a great pose.
Like Marina though I do not like the out of focus foreground. it is too 'in my face'. I'd be tempted to crop 15%-18% from the bottom. I think it would make the image stronger.

[Grace Scalzo]

Thank you Marina and Martin, Better? No one has mentioned it, but my own critique of this photo is that I wish I had caught the bird a split second sooner when he higher over his friends.

[Marina Scarr]

The RP in my opinion is a far more powerful image. This crop keeps the focus on the bird first...after which your eye can wander to formulate the rest of the story.

[Frank Schauf]

Great light and flight pose.

[Dan Busby]

An all-round great photo Grace. I like the repost, partly because of the crop but also because it brings the eye into more prominence.

[Joe Senzatimore]

Re-post works much better then the original , which was darn good on it's own. The FG is much better in the new one.

[Markus Jais]

Cool shot. I first thought this were stones but those are more birds. Fantastic low angle and wing pose. The tight group of birds on the ground make this one an outstanding shot.

Markus

[Gen Benjamin]

Lovely image Grace, I agree that the repost works better but I would be happy to have my name on either version
Genevieve

[Diane Miller]

Wonderful image with very beautiful feather detail! I agree about the crop and wonder if it might be a workable idea to reduce the contrast somewhat on the OOF birds, to give more tonal separation from the flying bird?

[Nick Palmieri]

Really nice capture grace. i like the re-post. Nice detail in the skimmer and enough on bottom to tell the story.

[Daniel Cadieux]

Ditto Marina (on both her comments). Great repost. Love this image alot for the same reasons she mentions....

[David Salem]

At first I wasnt sure what the FG was but as you look more you realize what it is. Thats the cool element of this shot. Not that the bird isnt the star, just the whole scene looks unique and tells the story. Nice work Grace.

[Bill Dix]

Wonderful, Grace. This really captures the sense of these guys looking for a landing spot. I liked the OP, but the RP really rocks.

[arash_hazeghi]

very cool, you are very right about a split second earlier.

[Tin Man Lee]

Love the dynamic pose and the sea of skimmers down there. Yea a split second earlier would be cool. But may not have this nice wing pose.