Common Loon at Sanibel Causeway

[Bob Pelkey]

1DM4, 600mm, f/4.0, ISO 250, AP, 1/2000, tripod panning, fill light, various sharpening, luminance 35-50-0, brightness +60.

There had been reports in recent days of a Common Eider released from rehab after a quick check-up of its health with the bird lingering thereafter at the Sanibel Causeway. I attempted to observe the eider today without success. However, I did take the opportunity to photograph a Common Loon which was drifting north on the Gulf side of the second island west of the Sanibel toll booth. To photograph the loon with the sun behind me, I had to enter the water which I did. It was very uncomfortably cold with the waves a little higher than I would like. It was challenging to get a decent shot, but considered this one at a glance worth processing.

In the not too distant past I recall discussion here of how to express the severity of a crop. With the image presented as I would describe a heavy one, I wonder the value of noting that the pixel dimensions of the cropped image as processed are X: 2372 and Y: 1581 from 4896x3264 before final presentation at 1024x683.

Regards,

Bob Pelkey

http://www.swfloridabirder.blogspot.com

[Randy Stout]

Bob:

This image caught my eye! As a fan of loons, I always am interested in what they are doing when they leave my area for the winter.

Strong sense of wave action here. Good that the entire bill shows.

I do think it would be more effective if you had a little bit more of the birds neck available, and would prefer the nictitating membrane to be open.

Cheers

Randy

[Kevin Giannini]

Neat image of the loon Bob. I do like the slight diagonal of the wave in front but for me it's a bit too much, and I wish more of the loon were showing. Thanks for the crop clarification. After searching the forums and not finding my answer, I was going to ask what it actually means when someone says that "The image is a 25% crop". Does that mean they've cropped away 25% or that they have left 25% of the image after the crop?
Kevin

[Jim Crosswell]

Interesting image Bob. I like the sharpness, exposure and wave. I wish we could see more of the loon and that the membrane wasn't there.

[Sandy Witvoet]

I am also a Loon Fanatic... love to see them in their winter "grounds"! Agree with Randy... need more neck here. Also, it looks more to me that it's not the nictating... but refelected fill flash? Other than that, Loons will not generally look as "wet" as this one does, unless they have somehow lost their water-shedding oils..... I hope this Loon was not as "submerged" as it appears...hoping the OOF water is simply between you and him/her. Great capture.... Love the sharpness, and water drops.... Sorry... as a Loon Image... it doesn't work for me....just from the "overall" ... not the way a healthy Loon would present.
(Don't kill me, Bob... just not into this one!)

[Arthur Morris]

Just a bit lower on the wave and lose the nictitating membrane and you would have been in business. Techs are perfect. As presented a bit more of a crop from below would work as there is too much nothing foreground water....

[Diane Miller]

The numbers you give calculate to 23% of the original image. I'm sure how people specify a crop varies. I think the clearest thing is to divide the pixels in the crop into the pixels in the original x 100, and just say that is the percentage of the original frame.

To me, this is very impressive for such a crop.

[Marina Scarr]

This image has given me pause for thought which I like. It's definitely out of the box which is your style. I have to say that the crop and membrane work for me as they are, and I like your vision here. For me, it tells the story of a lone loon about to be hit by a wave. He's already wet, his membrane is "activated" for the oncoming wave. While I agree that the wave is large in the frame, I don't think it would tell the story as well if it were smaller. Your bird is nice and sharp and well exposed. I vote this one a keeper.

[Holger Leyrer]

unusual portrait. The wave is a little bit too high. But like it very much.