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Common Tern

These are summer visitors to the UK. I live a long way from the sea but am fortunate to live near the Tring Reservoirs where we get plenty birds throughout the year and that is where this was taken. As a venue it is not easy to get a decent shot. The bank is vey high to the water so low level shots are out of the question. Being a big water in flight shots are often at too far a distance to be worthwhile. Sometimes you are lucky. Hopefully I got enough of this birds eye to hold interest.
Taken handheld using the Canon 7D + 100-400 @ 400mm combo. It is a bit of a crop but not too far I hope. Taken at f5.6, 1/1600th @ ISO 800. Being a white bird I always struggle to get a decent exposure to leave any detail in the plumage. Not sure I got the WB quite right here.
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Macro and Flora Moderator
I like the shot and the action good detail in the bird's plumage. I wasn't there but I wonder if the contrast is a little high??
Regards exposure best advice I can offer is take some test shots on the day to determine the optimal exposure for the bird then when the shot you want presents itself you are ready and waiting.
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Super Moderator
Hey Phill, looks like you froze the action quite well. Very nice green BG too. The exposure looks OK as the brightest whites look on the edge - but the image has the look of aggressive recover on the whites in post (of course, it could be the play of light, but that is just my observation). WB looks to be OK...you could warm it just a tad, but to my eye it looks good as is. With this pose I think you could go with a central composition by taking some off the right. Normally I prefer a dorsal view, but in this instance I love the view of the little feet :-)
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Lifetime Member
Hi Phill, great diving pose, and you have captured the tail nicely, showing us how they change direction. Those tiny red feet pop very well against the whiter plumage, and comp wise, I would have placed him in the URC.
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