Knot

[Steve Kaluski]

OK, perhaps this could be a 'marmite' shot, love it or hate it, however it's great to get out and about and at this location, very bracing!!!

Taken towards late afternoon as the tide was receding. The light gave, IMHO a lovely streaking to the 'mud flats', but added a hint of warmth to the flock. I do also like the way the Oystercatchers peppered the shoreline just in front of the lifting knot.
Thanks to those who posted a reply or looked at the previous image.

Steve

Subject: Flock of Knot with Oystercatchers on shoreline
Location: UK
Camera: Canon MKIV
Lens: 500f/4 HH
Exposure: 1/1250s at f/5.6 ISO400 +0.33 stop compensation

[Rachel Hollander]

Hi Steve - wow, this is very different for you. It works! I too like the line of sharp oystercatchers in front and the warm, almost glistening light on the beach. Only suggestion is I think it needs a slight amount of cw rotation judging from the beach.

TFS,
Rachel

[Gabriela Plesea]

Dear Steve,

I am trying to count the birds… Whew, I love it, very very much, a wall of birds, or rather a huge wave, and I like the intensity of the moment captured here. The lines in the foreground make me think of a landing strip, they are also suggestive of speed, and that contributes greatly to this image. I like that even the oystercatchers are going in the same direction with the other birds. Although you make it look effortless, like a gift of chance, I think you put a lot of thinking into this

I would take a bit off the top for a more compact look, WDYT?

Thank you for your help and inspiration, Steve-I have learnt and still learning so much from you.

Warmest regards,

[Steve Kaluski]

Only suggestion is I think it needs a slight amount of cw rotation judging from the beach.

It's a difficult one, as the lines in the sand all change, so I think it's more visual, and therefore a CW rotation would help.

Gabriella, by close of play it was into thousands and I mean thousands, thanks for the kind words.

And yes, one of the last images of the MKIV before another 1DX to answer a PM, Snettisham.

[keith mitchell]

Hey Steve that is one big flock !agree about those Oystercatchers very obliging birds keeping that line for you all in all a cracking image. Agree with Gabriella(Thank you for your help and inspiration, Steve-I have learnt and still learning so much from you.)

Keith.

[Andreas Liedmann]

Hi Steve,
like the frame with thousands of KNOTS on the move and as contrast the Oystercatchers resting, very good combination for me.

If this was mine would crop from top to leave a bit of the sky and cropping a small part from the bottom, like wise a slight canvas rotation.Reducing the blues would address the issue i have in the birds with color called blue.

In my vision , you should have used a slow SS , just to get the OC sharp but let the KNOTS go blurry who are on the move, think that looks very powerful and dynamic. Next time……….., maybe.

But still an interesting image.

TFS Andreas

[Steve Kaluski]

In my vision , you should have used a slow SS , just to get the OC sharp but let the KNOTS go blurry who are on the move, think that looks very powerful and dynamic. Next time……….., maybe.

Who knows what may follow.

The blue was in the original and so I retained it, just thought it added some colour?

[Andre Pretorius]

Hi Steve

The rotation might be problem-if you rotate the image, the lines on sand might end up straight, and the horizon not. I would leave as is.
Agree with bit off top and bottom to get the flock more in your face.
What do you a lower POV would look like, with no sky, just birds?

[Stu Bowie]

Hi Steve, now thats a lot of knots, and I like that you left some sky above. I feel the addition of the OC's in the FG adds that something extra to the overall image. Well captured.

[Daniel Cadieux]

Very intense for sure, quite visually striking. The OCs anchor what is lots of movement in here. I'm torn on the crop and options given already...my initial instinct was to take some off the bottom only, maybe up to half of that space. I agree with rotation, even if only an illusion. I really, really like that single bird at left... despite its small size it is a big compositional element!

[Jonathan Ashton]

Steve I was about to post a similar shot, then I saw yours I like the oystercatchers in the foreground. I may be out of consensus here but I get the impression it would benefit from a little more exposure - not the sky just the birds, in fact I would crop most of the empty sky WDYT?

[Steve Kaluski]

OK folks, here we go.

Firstly this has had an 0.8 CCW rotation, albeit slight, to me the birds/subjects are now running down hill, but the lines are 'kind of' horizontal. Jon, this has a little off the foot. I did lighten the sky via Levels & Brightness, but added a little selective neutrals/blacks back in to create a bit more contrast to the main flock.

So, personally I prefer the OP format & 'angle' but like the lighter sky & more contrast in the subjects. So would welcome any feedback in the RP.

Cheers guys & Jonathan, please post be great to see your version too.

Steve

[Jamie Douglas]

I like the horizon and sand lines in the OP Steve as like you said, in the RP it appears the birds are running down hill. That must have been one exciting spectacle to witness and probably more intense than the snow gees we saw last year - but a lot quieter I would think.

[Marina Scarr]

Killer image. Crop is a tough call. I just brought it into PS and tried a variety. I would say my favorite is more off of the bottom and a little off of the top is my favorite. However, your crop here is my second favorite b/c there is something about the lines in the FG and the way they are lit which is mesmerizing.

[Jonathan Ashton]

Steve I think the sky is too bright and the birds are too dark, I have had a go at the jpeg but I am not happy with the result, I will post my wader shot.