Hi everyone,
The BirdLife Australia photography group is currently running a members only competition, no prizes, on the theme 'small in the frame'. It's a good way of encouraging members with small cameras to get involved. I am contemplating entering the image in this post of a Fairy Prion, captured about 50 km off Port Fairy, Victoria. The shot was taken when I was set up with my 300 mm f/2.8 for close encounters with large albatross. The prion was certainly small in the frame and has needed a large crop. What I like about the image is the impression of a small bird in a remote, bleak ocean environment. The sea was remarkably calm with an 'oily' surface and the overcast conditions have rendered the waves with an attractive 'classic ' appearance. The image is almost monochrome and, in fact, I have processed a monochrome version but I have a marginal preference for the RGB version shown here. I have posted using the competition width of 1024 pixels. I am very interested to learn your reaction to this image; does the composition 'work', is the subject too small, etc.
Canon 5DIII + 300 mm f/2.8L II, hand-held.
Av priority with spot metering, f/11, 1/3200 sec, ISO 1250.
Processed in DPP4: crop, adjust brightness (+0.17), gamma, shad/h'lights (+2/-2), luminance NR (0), chrominance NR (7), sharpen (3), RAW-TIFF. PS Elements: select bird, background NR, downsize, sharpen, TIFF-JPEG.
Ian, this is a very pleasing image. I particularly like the gentle undulation of the waves and the subdued shades of grey. The grey fairy prion follows through with the overall grey theme.
Hi Ian very nice concept , and i love the oily sea with the soft undulations.
But for a oily sea the sea is looking rough on the surface , i would expect a softer surface. Noise?
The subject is sized perfectly for this image IMO, and I like its subtle reflection at the bottom. The texture of the water surface is what helps make the image too. The only thing, for my personal tastes, is that I would have preferred the bird slightly further back in the frame.
I think this image would be excellent for your friendly competition...
Thanks Daniel, Andreas and Gary for your helpful feedback. I have moved the bird back in the frame as suggested by Daniel so it is now closer to the 1/3:1/3 point. The residual noise in the background identified by Andreas was mainly the result of the large crop so I have been more aggressive with the NR in this repost. Thanks again for your good advice, regards, Ian.
Hi Ian, this works for me, as the bird is just the right size for small in the frame. Good angled flight pose. I do like the texture of the water, and repost has turned out well.
You mentioned that the sea was " remarkably calm " - well that looks pretty rough to me. I say that as I dont have sea legs at all. Wont catch me out there.
Fairy Prion small in the frame
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I say that as I dont have sea legs at all. Wont catch me out there. 
