Bonaparte's Gull

[JessFindlay]

Bonaparte's Gull

Qualicum Beach, British Columbia, Canada

Canon 5DM3 | Canon 400mm f/5.6 | 1/2000th | f/9 | ISO 640 | Handheld from Kayak

Hi everyone,

This past spring I spent two weeks photographing the Pacific Herring spawn spectacle along the east coast of British Columbia's Vancouver Island. The majority of my shots featured wider perspectives, showcasing the massive flocks of seabirds and waterfowl that partake in the feast. However, on this beautiful sunny evening, I couldn't resist isolating this Bonaparte's Gull in it's smart breeding plumage as I paddled offshore. The sparkling objects in the water are floating clumps of herring roe.

Best of luck!

- Jess Findlay | Burnaby, British Columbia

[Paul Kusmin]

Hi Jess, great to see your work here.
I like this one a lot, you can feel the warmth and dazzle of the sun.
Knowing you took this from a kayak, hats off to you.
I've yet to shoot these guys in full breeding colours.

The only critique-able bits that stand out to me in the comp are the clumps of herring roe to be honest but i understand why they are integral to the shot.

[Marina Scarr]

Love the star burst, rim lighting and specular highlights. Unique is always good and this one came together nicely and is thought provoking.

[Daniel Cadieux]

Highly appealing image with the "starburst" adding an extra special element to the image...was that serendipity or planned (either way looks awesome)

[Satish Ranadive]

All has been said in beautiful words about this elegant image.
TFS.

Regards,
Satish.