Touch down!

[shane shacaluga]

On a recent sailing trip in the North sea, this juvenile gull kept chasing us and landing close by. Everytime it landed would shift its wings forward and drop its neck just before impact

As it did this on a number of occasions i tried my luck and recording this behaviour. Managed it on the first attempt

D800e
f6.7
1/2500
ISO800

Added some canvas at the top so I could rotate and make the waterline level. Usual PP steps and removed a red cast that appeared on the tips of the wings

NR on BG and selective sharpening on subject. Darkened pupil slightly

Thanks for viewing

[Stu Bowie]

Hi Shane, well timed for the touch down, and I really like the forward wing position. Well exposed and sharp, and I do like the 'rear' splash. Pity that the wingtip in the reflection was cut, but I know its not always easy to get a full reflection from action shots.

[Andreas Liedmann]

Hi shane , agree with Stu about your timing , good job in nailing this one.
You have nice detail/sharpness in the wings , slightly lesser on the head , so i think some more selective sharpening on the head would be good .Plus i would open up the eye slightly .

Nice one !!!!

TFS Andreas

[shane shacaluga]

Thanks for the comments guys

Andreas tried a second round of selective sharpening just on the head using a higher radius but less %

Brightened up the area around the eye too

[Andreas Liedmann]

Looks better to me

[shane shacaluga]

Thanks for the advice ;)

[Tom van den Brandt]

The second one is better. I like how you captured this moment. TFS

Tom

[David Salem]

Good job on the re-post. Looks much better. The brightening @ the eye helped too. Neat frame.